Monkey Child ([info]faithalicious) wrote,
2005-03-02 20:11:00
  • Mood: angry

Bell Sympaticos new ad campaign is telling us that our bodies need to be censored for the protection of our children. 

The advertisement is a typical Bell fold-over brochure. This one is promoting its internet service. On the cover is a picture of a textbook (likely a basic anatomy textbook) depicting “The Female Body". The Female Body page shows a full frontal drawing of a female body with bones, internal organs and veins visible through the skin. Around that figure are smaller boxes that have featured body parts. The brain, kidney, liver, heart, ovaries and what may be the fallopian tubes. But here's the outrageous part. Someone at the advertising department cut out the image of what appears to be the fallopian tube along with the ovaries. They chopped out the female body’s breasts and pelvic area too.  To the right side reads, “You’ll do anything to protect your kids from inappropriate content. So will we

So basically, what we’re being told is that our children need to be “protected” from learning about the sexual organs of the female body.  Sex education does not encourage kids to have sex. Kids will have sex without any encouragement. 

The female body is inappropriate content and women are to blame for their own negative depictions… right? NO - Women have worked too hard for their rightful respect – we don’t deserve this mockery.  The media and it's gatekeepers hold so much power over us, more power then we’d like to admit, and it is so sad that our communication systems and our media (and medium that supported and distributed these politically incorrect, ignorant ads) still condone and perpetuate gender roles, sexism, and the censorship of sexuality. 

Ignorance is not healthy! 

After doing some research on the issue, this ad violates advertising standards – especially clause 14 (check it out). 

Some people have already registered an official complaint with Bell's Executive office and have requested immediate withdrawal of the ad and a public apology in the newspapers that it appeared in. PLEASE CALL IN AND SPEAK UP! This campaign is not acceptable and should be stopped. I'll save you the time by giving you the toll free number if you want to add your voice. 1 866 317-3382.


  • Post a new comment

    Error

    switch

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

     
    Help
  • 14 comments

[info]mementomori4

March 3 2005, 01:38:15 UTC 7 years ago


i think that, at least in my view, it isn't so much the idea that women's anatomy is improper... it's more that they choose to display the female body as a symbol of improper content on the internet. you don't see the male body, with "inappropriate" pieces cut out on any ads... not like an anatomy text drawing is inappropriate anyway.

fuck this pisses me off.

did you post this on queerottawa? i think that would be a good place to give people a chance to speak their views and hopefully call and complain.

[info]faithalicious

March 3 2005, 01:56:25 UTC 7 years ago

good point.
done and done.
♥ thanks sarah
faith

[info]romantic_jade

March 3 2005, 02:10:57 UTC 7 years ago

thats fucking stupid. gah every day my hope for society dwindles.

[info]irrh

March 3 2005, 07:12:36 UTC 7 years ago

no disrespect, but there's a commercial that goes along with this ad! it features foolishly protective parents censoring everything the kid looks at in such an over-the-top way that you can't possibly take it seriously.

even on it's own, this ad says to me "you're being dumb. relax. if you're that up tight, we'll make sure your kid can't find boobies on the internet."

[info]dorkoliscious

March 3 2005, 17:30:33 UTC 7 years ago

Hey Faith,

Found your LJ through Laurie's....couldn't help but respond to this....I think the ad campaign is geared primarily to conusmers who've seen Bell's recent ad's depicting a ridiculously overprotective couple and their children...although poor judgement on Bells behalf because I would have to agree that if I hadn't seen those commercials, I wouldn't have any clue what to make of their brochure. Personally my favorite commercial of all time is the one where they're singing let your back bone slide....hehe

I think by cutting up the female textbook anatomy they're making a statement that the internet service they are providing is so safe, even the most ridiculously anal parents need not worry...they're just appealing to a wider range of consumer's.

I personally find the ad hillarious.

[info]faithalicious

March 3 2005, 17:44:03 UTC 7 years ago

i understand bell's direct, black and white message. what i find appalling though is that they didn't consider the subliminal messages, the possible miscommunication, and all the underlying banter that has been going on in http://www.livejournal.com/community/carletonu/168004.html
http://www.livejournal.com/community/torontoqueers/126083.html
http://www.livejournal.com/community/gender_petition/143701.html
http://www.livejournal.com/users/faithalicious/65833.html
http://www.livejournal.com/community/feminist/1727726.html
http://www.livejournal.com/users/grammallama/62116.html#cutid1

our corps, media, and gatekeepers hold a lot of power, they need to take a little more responsibility for the repercussions of this campaign. again.. my opinion :)
faith

ps-siobhan right? can i add you?

[info]dorkoliscious

March 3 2005, 17:54:49 UTC 7 years ago

add away!

[info]faithalicious

March 3 2005, 18:01:18 UTC 7 years ago

i just killed a hippie

*monkey dance*
*digs fingernails into the armpits of america*

[info]dorkoliscious

March 3 2005, 18:02:49 UTC 7 years ago

Re: i just killed a hippie

horray for hippie killing!

[info]dorkoliscious

March 3 2005, 18:03:08 UTC 7 years ago

Re: i just killed a hippie

ps. let your backbone slide...do do do do do do..

[info]faithalicious

March 3 2005, 18:04:08 UTC 7 years ago

Re: i just killed a hippie

ha ha ha ha ha ha
i'm feeling the need to censor that sliding of the backbone. what are you suggesting?

*accidentally kills another hippie*

[info]dorkoliscious

March 3 2005, 18:16:10 UTC 7 years ago

Re: i just killed a hippie

I think I just accidentally stepped on a hippie....oopsie.

[info]lesbinums_lover

March 4 2005, 00:26:19 UTC 7 years ago

My opinion

I'm not quite sure but if you had seen the television ad for this same commerical it was of a family. Mother father and son, the mother of which was very overprotective. The child was drinking milk and the mother had to smell it to make sure it was okay etc. Certian things like that to show the mother was annoying and overprotective, showing that their internet service can be protective of her child too. This wasnt an act of "censorship of women" but rather the mother was being very overprotective *which was stressed through the whole commerical* and this made for a matter which people could take as funny not serious. If it was of a female child I'm sure the father/mother would have cut out the penis etc of the male anatomy in the book. It was just the way the commerical came about and was not pointntly gender specific. They couldn't have placed split screens of a male and female child becuase the comedy wouldn't have it's full effect. I'm certinaly up for womens rights, obviously, but I think that this wasn't ment to be analyzed and critisized. I do however understand that you would have to had seen the television ad to understand the full effect, thats where they did go wrong.

[info]lesbinums_lover

March 4 2005, 00:27:59 UTC 7 years ago

Blargh I feel stupid theres already a post about it that I didn't see I just jumped to add a comment.. my bad.. sorry again
Create an Account
Forgot your login or password?
Facebook Twitter More login options
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…