Comments on: Hanes Tagless Underwear Ad Campaign Uses Slurs http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/hanes-tagless-underwear-ad-campaign-uses-slurs/ Writing, Anti-Oppression & Science-Fiction Sat, 17 May 2008 08:57:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: naamenblog http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/hanes-tagless-underwear-ad-campaign-uses-slurs/#comment-4760 naamenblog Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:07:58 +0000 http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/?p=207#comment-4760 reemus - Thanks for letting us know about that, I had wondered if they were running anywhere in India. It's good to know it was only rogue employees and they only ran once. reemus -
Thanks for letting us know about that, I had wondered if they were running anywhere in India. It’s good to know it was only rogue employees and they only ran once.

]]> By: reemus http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/hanes-tagless-underwear-ad-campaign-uses-slurs/#comment-4757 reemus Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:10:11 +0000 http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/?p=207#comment-4757 ok , i work in advertsing in india and i just want to tell your guys that these STUPID, THOUGHTLESS, ....am speechless ads were done in order to win some advertsing awards internationally ....infact they havent even had a release in India. they were released in one newspaper so that they are eligible for entries.... they are truly, truly disgusting!!!! ok , i work in advertsing in india and i just want to tell your guys that these STUPID, THOUGHTLESS, ….am speechless ads were done in order to win some advertsing awards internationally ….infact they havent even had a release in India.

they were released in one newspaper so that they are eligible for entries….

they are truly, truly disgusting!!!!

]]> By: Philippe Krakowsky http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/hanes-tagless-underwear-ad-campaign-uses-slurs/#comment-4753 Philippe Krakowsky Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:02:32 +0000 http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/?p=207#comment-4753 IPG apologizes for fake Hanes ads created by rogue employees without knowledge of client or agency. For details, see our statement at http://apology4fakehanesads.wordpress.com/. IPG apologizes for fake Hanes ads created by rogue employees without knowledge of client or agency. For details, see our statement at http://apology4fakehanesads.wordpress.com/.

]]> By: naamenblog http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/hanes-tagless-underwear-ad-campaign-uses-slurs/#comment-4744 naamenblog Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:38:09 +0000 http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/?p=207#comment-4744 brownblackandqueer - I think that part of it is the words used but that's not all. I think that by putting these words/tags/labels in this kind of context they're trivializing the stereotypes by comparing them to a tag in the back of your underwear. The message conflicts with the art that seems to be saying these are huge burdens but an underwear tag is not a huge burden and it's under your power to rip/cut them out. These tags are not under our control they are thrust upon us. The comparison is just so hugely false. Beyond that they don't seem to be trying to interrogate the steretypes that the figures are dragging around at all they are in fact accepting them as part of the tag/label. I see the stereotypes but where in the ad is the disruption around them. There is none. I think it's these two problems are definitely tangled in the reason that people are so angry about the ads along with the use of very powerful/hurtful words to sell underwear. brownblackandqueer -
I think that part of it is the words used but that’s not all. I think that by putting these words/tags/labels in this kind of context they’re trivializing the stereotypes by comparing them to a tag in the back of your underwear. The message conflicts with the art that seems to be saying these are huge burdens but an underwear tag is not a huge burden and it’s under your power to rip/cut them out. These tags are not under our control they are thrust upon us. The comparison is just so hugely false.

Beyond that they don’t seem to be trying to interrogate the steretypes that the figures are dragging around at all they are in fact accepting them as part of the tag/label. I see the stereotypes but where in the ad is the disruption around them. There is none.

I think it’s these two problems are definitely tangled in the reason that people are so angry about the ads along with the use of very powerful/hurtful words to sell underwear.

]]> By: brownblackandqueer http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/hanes-tagless-underwear-ad-campaign-uses-slurs/#comment-4742 brownblackandqueer Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:59:00 +0000 http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/?p=207#comment-4742 "And I hate it when people act as if removing labels would be the same as removing the power imbalances and prejudices that make the labels mean what they do." You've already been lauded, Catherine, but thanks again for saying this. It seems so simple, and yet I think it needs to be hammered into our brains. It's not just some name-calling, it's systematic racism, sexism, classism, ableism, you know the routine. I wrote about this on my blog too. Actually, I'm at work at GLAAD and one of my co-workers saw the ad on my screen and was like "oooh! pretty! what is that?" only to have me maximize it so he could see that, yes, it does say "faggot" and "nigger." It's not necessarily worse that it's an attractive ad, because it's already so despicable as is. I'm thinking... would it be different if there were one ad of the same concept that included a list of labels that apply to many different identities? Could be fat, gay, ugly, bitch, etc. What's really the part that's so offensive? The use of words that really just aren't acceptable? Or the stereotypes attached to them? Or is it just that underwear ads have no business equating sewn-in tags with identity tags? “And I hate it when people act as if removing labels would be the same as removing the power imbalances and prejudices that make the labels mean what they do.” You’ve already been lauded, Catherine, but thanks again for saying this. It seems so simple, and yet I think it needs to be hammered into our brains. It’s not just some name-calling, it’s systematic racism, sexism, classism, ableism, you know the routine.

I wrote about this on my blog too. Actually, I’m at work at GLAAD and one of my co-workers saw the ad on my screen and was like “oooh! pretty! what is that?” only to have me maximize it so he could see that, yes, it does say “faggot” and “nigger.” It’s not necessarily worse that it’s an attractive ad, because it’s already so despicable as is.

I’m thinking… would it be different if there were one ad of the same concept that included a list of labels that apply to many different identities? Could be fat, gay, ugly, bitch, etc. What’s really the part that’s so offensive? The use of words that really just aren’t acceptable? Or the stereotypes attached to them? Or is it just that underwear ads have no business equating sewn-in tags with identity tags?

]]> By: naamenblog http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/hanes-tagless-underwear-ad-campaign-uses-slurs/#comment-4738 naamenblog Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:00:55 +0000 http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/?p=207#comment-4738 Alanna- Given India's very recent history with British colonialism and the enduring ties between the countries I would think they know the terms and the insults that go along with them (because of the imagery in the ad) if they actually understand the weight of the words? I hope not. But like you said it still makes me sick to see them and think of someone coming up wioth them. Oyce - Exactly, an underwear ad! I don't know who thought this was a good idea but really....so far from the realm of okay. Alanna-
Given India’s very recent history with British colonialism and the enduring ties between the countries I would think they know the terms and the insults that go along with them (because of the imagery in the ad) if they actually understand the weight of the words? I hope not.
But like you said it still makes me sick to see them and think of someone coming up wioth them.

Oyce -
Exactly, an underwear ad! I don’t know who thought this was a good idea but really….so far from the realm of okay.

]]> By: naamenblog http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/hanes-tagless-underwear-ad-campaign-uses-slurs/#comment-4737 naamenblog Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:57:19 +0000 http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/?p=207#comment-4737 Chris- <em>To even dare to conceive it could be that easy can only come from a racist mindset to begin with.</em> You hit the nail on the head with that quote. Kate - I actually don't know for syre where their gonna be using the imagery but my understanding seems to be that these are ads that are meant to run in India and nowhere else. So problematic especially when you factor in India's very recent history of colonialism and racism. vito- Yeah, it was such a shock to see the ad and the reactions from people kind of shrugging their shoulders and asking "Offensive or Effective", like it had to be asked at all. Chris-
To even dare to conceive it could be that easy can only come from a racist mindset to begin with.

You hit the nail on the head with that quote.

Kate -
I actually don’t know for syre where their gonna be using the imagery but my understanding seems to be that these are ads that are meant to run in India and nowhere else. So problematic especially when you factor in India’s very recent history of colonialism and racism.

vito-
Yeah, it was such a shock to see the ad and the reactions from people kind of shrugging their shoulders and asking “Offensive or Effective”, like it had to be asked at all.

]]> By: Oyce http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/hanes-tagless-underwear-ad-campaign-uses-slurs/#comment-4732 Oyce Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:25:11 +0000 http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/?p=207#comment-4732 O_o Wow, I am speechless. I just... an underwear ad? WHY?!?! O_o

Wow, I am speechless. I just… an underwear ad? WHY?!?!

]]> By: Alanna http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/hanes-tagless-underwear-ad-campaign-uses-slurs/#comment-4731 Alanna Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:23:44 +0000 http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/?p=207#comment-4731 Am now able to better articulate - the idea of evoking feelings and ideas like this to sell a product is just reprehensible. Am now able to better articulate - the idea of evoking feelings and ideas like this to sell a product is just reprehensible.

]]> By: Alanna http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/hanes-tagless-underwear-ad-campaign-uses-slurs/#comment-4730 Alanna Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:19:08 +0000 http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/?p=207#comment-4730 Those ads make me dark sick-to-the-stomach miserable. I cannot imagine how anyone would want their product associated with that feeling. All I can think (hope) is maybe an Indian ad agency didn't realize how powerful those words were? Those ads make me dark sick-to-the-stomach miserable. I cannot imagine how anyone would want their product associated with that feeling. All I can think (hope) is maybe an Indian ad agency didn’t realize how powerful those words were?

]]>