Pour Some Sugar On Me
I completely forgot that I am in the midst of PMSing until I read Mistress' post this morning. It makes me feel a little better about the huge sugar binges lately. I even sought out my 2 year old bag of frozen fruit cake from my wedding on the weekend. I say this very truthfully - the older and more frozen the fruit cake, the better! Gawd that stuff is good.
Anyway, I have to stop eating so much sugar because the energy crashes suck. I also could barely stand to get my eyebrows threaded yesterday and that's odd because it doesn't normally hurt. I think the sugar made my skin more sensitive...
Take a look at this and tell me if it doesn't piss you off. I got this last week from a friend and I just can't believe that Dove dares put their name on it. Are people so dumb that they're going to watch this and then think to themselves, "Wow, Dove really cares about the way that the beauty industry perpetuates negative self-perception! I'm going to go and buy Dove products because they're only trying to help me, not hurt me." I don't normally curse, but WTF?? My PMS, sugar-loaded blood is boiling.
I would like to close by saying that anyone with a baby who is having their molars come in - call me. We need to talk! I cannot believe how swollen and bruised Tink's gums look. Why has evolution not figured out a better way for these suckers to come in than totally damaging the gums? Poor little guy.
Time for a sugar break.
Anyway, I have to stop eating so much sugar because the energy crashes suck. I also could barely stand to get my eyebrows threaded yesterday and that's odd because it doesn't normally hurt. I think the sugar made my skin more sensitive...
Take a look at this and tell me if it doesn't piss you off. I got this last week from a friend and I just can't believe that Dove dares put their name on it. Are people so dumb that they're going to watch this and then think to themselves, "Wow, Dove really cares about the way that the beauty industry perpetuates negative self-perception! I'm going to go and buy Dove products because they're only trying to help me, not hurt me." I don't normally curse, but WTF?? My PMS, sugar-loaded blood is boiling.
I would like to close by saying that anyone with a baby who is having their molars come in - call me. We need to talk! I cannot believe how swollen and bruised Tink's gums look. Why has evolution not figured out a better way for these suckers to come in than totally damaging the gums? Poor little guy.
Time for a sugar break.
posted by Melbine @ 8:07 AM
13 Comments:
At 8:52 AM,
Mistress La Spliffe said…
No, I can't say that pisses me off at all. I don't buy Dove products because they suck, but if they put out a marketing message that appeals to people - and mothers - who are concerned about the artificiality and the psychologically damaging nature of the beauty industry, I say power to them. After all, the mainstream choices offer much stupider and more offensive marketing messages.
At 9:47 AM,
Melbine said…
I don't know, I guess I just think they're playing on those very concerns that you mention and it's sneaky. At least other choices are being upfront about what they're selling.
I definitely appreciate the film on its own as a very potent message and I hope that people (especially young women) walk away from it with something very empowering.
At 10:10 AM,
cali said…
I'd have to disagree with you - Dove's ads for a long time have been about loving yourself and promoting natural beauty. A lot of them are targeted towards young women which may or may not be a marketing ploy, but if it is it doesn't matter anyway. The important thing is that the message is out there - that it takes a lot of work for the girls in magazines to look the way they do - and there isn't really a point of trying to achiecve that perfection because it doesn't exist. I especially like the photoshopping part at the end. I know (of) people who photoshop their own photos for vanity's sake and it's rediculous!
I guess it doesn't hurt that I use Dove soap and shampoo/conditioner and think Dove products are grrreat!
At 10:18 AM,
Melbine said…
I know, I've seen the ads with the old women, women with a bit of extra weight, women with freckles etc. They're cute ads and highly effective marketing..
I know when I'm beaten but my initial reaction remains..it rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe I'm being too defensive.
ps - I don't have anything against Dove by the way. I'd be annoyed if it was any other company too..I just can't help but picture a group of marketing execs sitting around and planning out this campaign. It's like using cute kitties and babies to sell toilet paper..
At 10:25 AM,
cali said…
I love those kitties that sell toilet paper! The fluffy white persian ones... hahahaha! So cute!
Obviously I am easily swayed by clever marketing or have a fatal attraction to cuteness.
At 8:28 AM,
Anonymous said…
I understand where you're coming from, Mel. Is Dove any better than all those other mainstream companies. I'm not convinced. They are also manipulative with their commercials that tell you that their soaps and shampoos are "pure" meaning natural and not harmful but they use a lot of perfumes (especially in their hair care) that are not natural and can be irritating to those with sensitive skin - just the people they are gearing their ads towards (rose dipped in two kinds of soaps).
I guess the way I see it is that they are pointing their fingers at others and therefore putting themselves up as examples when they are not morally superior just because they use real women in their advertising. It is just their advertising angle. A better one than many others but also designed to be deceptive in their own way. I think you were repulsed by their morally superior stance and that is a valid point.
At 9:20 AM,
Anonymous said…
I forgot to say - I know that when women spend a lot of time together they will end up getting their period at the same time but isn't it strange that we are all going through the same point in our cycles when we see each other so rarely?!!
At 11:02 AM,
Melbine said…
Women united I guess, Sugarplum!
At 11:41 AM,
Anonymous said…
Hey - did you see the old war museum is getting a new job? "Centre of Pluralism" sounds exciting!!!!!
At 1:16 PM,
Anonymous said…
In addition, Dove and Axe are owned by the same company! How can they justify promoting women for being themselves in one campaign but totally degrade women's intelligence in all the AXE ads? My roomate did a paper on this topic and her prof. pointed this fact out to her so I know it's legit. You can look for yourself!
Google Unilever or go to www.unilever.com
J
At 10:30 AM,
Anonymous said…
Wow. Interesting. You wanna talk about something that pisses me off - it's those Axe commercials.
At 9:57 PM,
Andrea Bowers said…
After reading this thread, I'm beginning to think the fact that it IS the same company selling both Axe and Dove (and both with very different marketing approaches) demonstrates that the Dove commercial was created more for marketability, than to promote self-esteem for girls and women. So your spidey senses weren't tingling for nuthin'.
On the other hand, if girls and women (and guys too!) benefit from seeing the transformation of the model, it's hard to condemn. And that's a pretty brilliant marketing strategy.
I'm googling the marketing company who hatched this campaign, but I'm having a hard time finding out who it is. (Anyone know?)
Incidentally, the Axe commercials have been really successful, to the point where I've heard about a proposed ban in schools (in the GTA) of Axe cologne/body spray.
whoa.
At 10:00 PM,
Andrea Bowers said…
P.S. I personally love the health food store soap (vegetable based, and no packaging) and buying shampoo and conditioner in bulk. woo woo!
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