Thursday, January 24, 2008

What's Wrong With This Picture?


Anyone? Or am I the only one to look at this advertisement and feel supremely annoyed?

If this company makes toilet paper, why not an advertisement with the woman performing her wifely duties and wiping her dear husband's bottom and declaring it the most absorbent t.p.? No?
Maybe I've just wiped too many chins/bottoms in my day to think it's cute when the woman does it for the man. Or maybe I've been married too long to think that the goofy "Hey, I can't even eat the sauce myself!" doofus is cute.
Does this mean I'm officially jaded?

40 comments:

Nancy said...

Not only do I think it's stupid marketing, I get annoyed when I see that in real life.

Treating your husband like a kid? Even worse, when the husband likes it!

One more thing, (you got me started)I dislike when men call their wife Mom(my) and women call their husband Dad(dy).

*Not to be confused when talking to their own kids i.e. "Go ask you mom/dad."

imbeingheldhostage said...

No! It's rubbing me all wrong too. Why don't we just post the 1955 Good Housekeeping article on how to be a good wife and skip the bum-wiping.

Anonymous said...

Nah. You're not alone. I actually wrote a cranky email to one of the magazines I subscribe to because they ran this ad. I don't know why the husband can't clean up after his own damned self, and the kids, too! Grr.

Jen said...

Bipolarlawyercook - I just ADORE you for writing that letter! No way!

Too funny....

Nancy - the calling your hz/wife Mommy/Daddy or any derivitive smacks of weirdness to me, too.

Suburban Correspondent said...

Oh, boy, this reminds me of the Geritol commercials from the 70's - "My wife - I think I'll keep her." I still cannot believe anyone found that acceptable.

BlondeMomBlog (Jamie) said...

Please tell me that you found this ad in a 1982 Good Housekeeping at the laundromat.

My mother will actually ask me sometimes to fix my husband a drink when we eat dinner at her house. I'm all, "Uh, he can pour his own iced tea!" ;)

Beck said...

"Here you go, my retarded husband! Let me wipe your chin like you're 2!"
How EROTIC.

Girlplustwo said...

and let's not even address the damn apron.

Crystal D said...

Ugh, what a joke. That makes me n ever want to use Viva ever.
Hmm let's see, today I am going to have to remember to write in my journal about the tissue I used to wipe the snot off of my baby's nose. It was truly delightful. I almost didn't get it on my hands.

brooke said...

What a weird advertisement... who writes in their journal about a paper product? I mean, seriously. If you're that into it, wouldn't you write it down somewhere in the kitchen?

Orangeblossoms said...

Good heavens..... No, you're not jaded. Not for a minute. They need to get a LIFE (and a clue).

Audubon Ron said...

Pretty simple Jen.

He’s developmentally delayed and that’s her brother. Very common.

Anonymous said...

And why is the idea that a paper towel is so soft you can actually use it to wipe your face off so exciting? Isn't that what they're for? I'm really annoyed now though because I love Viva paper towels! I don't want to give them up, but that stupid ad almost makes me have to! And the whole writing about it in the journal...seriously, what were these people thinking?

Anonymous said...

No, you are not at all jaded. I have always reacted to ads like that but cringing under the covers.

Emily

Kat said...

No, you're right. They are both annoying.

Melissa said...

Plus: Where are his teeth?

Anonymous said...

Your not wrong, very annoying. Would have no idea it was for toilet paper if not pointed out

Beth Cotell said...

I, too, find this ad to be highly annoying! It looks like something you might have seen in the late 60's or early 70's. And the man looks like a big ole goober! Look at that cheesy grin on his face.

Rose Daughter said...

Seriously, this is just stupid. Was she trying to be cute and spoon feed the guy and had the paper towel there to catch the dropings?

Let the man clean up after himself.

imbeingheldhostage said...

Oh Jen, I am sorry to comment again, but I had to. I took my husband to your blog to show him this post. He stood back and said "I don't see anything wrong with it". If I hadn't laughed so hard I might've asked, "WHO ARE YOU?!" and no, I will NOT wipe his chin.

K said...

He looks like he's thinking, "If this sauce isn't good, I'm gonna beat that smile off your face" and that scares me.

Don Mills Diva said...

I would never buy anything those dorks are trying to sell.

BTW - I tagged you over on my blog - come see!

B.E.C.K. said...

Ech. Ridiculous. Now if the man were feeding the woman... ;^)

flutter said...

now wait, is that the spoon she is using to stir the sauce?!

EWW!!!!!!!!

crazylady said...

BETCHA MS. Duggar does that *snort*
You're closing the gap on her.

Unknown said...

Oh yeah... that IS annoying... are there no women who work at Viva?

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

Gag!

painted maypole said...

oh come now, we do that every night at house. don't you at yours? ;)

Jennifer said...

But where is Alice and why isn't she doing the cooking?

E said...

And where are her pearls?

Keeping It Real said...

Ugh! I'm right there with you in jaded land. If I see someone do that in person, I'll probably throw up on her apron. Puh-leez!

Family Adventure said...

Ugh. There's nothing redeeming about this ad. Nothing at all.
Heidi

Patti said...

Holy crapola.

The Cube Monkey said...

Alot of commercials piss me off these days.
I mean, they "still" make women the ones that bring home the dinner, take care of the husband, etc... only now they've thrown in that mom is a business woman to boot!
WE ARE SUPER WOMEN!!! EEEAHHHHH!

insanemommy said...

Too creepy. I agree calling you man "daddy" is kinky....

insanemommy said...

I've got an apron like that only I wear nothing under it!

Moments Of Mom said...

ICK.

Just ICK.

First off, get your own damn spoon, second wipe your own face, or better yet don't dribble all over yourself.

Annoyed.

Kristi B said...

And like she would really write about discovering Viva in her journal. Sappy, sappy, and definitely fake.

Anonymous said...

Owning an advertising agency (we actually believe in truth in advertising so work with colleges and hospitals) I can tell you that this ad works on every level.

The whole purpose of an ad is to make it memorable. Even if it's memorable for being tacky. The point is to get it to stick in your head somehow. Then unconsciously, when you're in a hurry at the supermarket and just need to grab some paper towels, you just might reach for the Viva -- not remembering the commercial but the brand.

I know -- YUCK. That's why we stick to health and education.

the mama bird diaries said...

Oh crap. That ad is the worst.

And I LOVE Viva paper towels. I mean, I really adore them. They are everything you could want in a paper towel.

And I ALREADY felt guilty enough b/c I don't use those recycled, eco-friendly paper towels.

So to recap: I use sexist, anti-earth paper towels.

This is bad.