Bayer criticized for promoting rape culture in this now award-winning advertisement
An advertisement that won a Bronze Award at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, often called the "Oscars of advertising," has been withdrawn after facing serious backlash for promoting rape culture.
The Bayer Asprin ad in question, which was created by Brazilian agency AlmapBBDO, seems pretty basic at first glance.
But after reading into its subtext, which hints at seemingly nonconsensual videotaped sex, its clear why some viewers are furious.
Don't use this to sell aspirin, male-dominated ad industry, & don't award it, male-dominated juries. #canneslionspic.twitter.com/WRo46Txygz
— Cindy Gallop (@cindygallop) June 23, 2016
Cindy Gallop, a well-known English advertising consultant, attacked the ad and the industry which produced it on Twitter, saying "don't use this to sell aspirin, male-dominated ad industry, & don't award it, male-dominated juries."
And judging by other reactions on social media, people tend to agree with her.
A new low @Cannes_Lions — Bronze Lion for an ad hinting guy will record sex w/o woman's consent — thx @cindygallophttps://t.co/leZp1hdcJS
— Maria Petrova (@_MariaPetrova) June 23, 2016
As a father of two daughters this makes me sick how does this win anything #CannesLionshttps://t.co/pxwGSDMWpV
— ericlmitchell (@EricLMitchell) June 23, 2016
After receiving intense criticism, AlmapBBDO announced it had withdrawn the ad from the festival, at the request of the agency's global creative chief David Lubars.
"I learned last night that one of our very own agencies had a pretty scammy ad in the festival, and it won a Lion," said Lubars. "I told them to return it. Because I don't want that kind of Lion. BBDO doesn't want that kind of Lion."
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