February 22, 2005
This particular category is afforded to allow me to climb up on an oak or hickory stump and expound on what I think are injustices. I read/sense that women constantly have to work to achieve respect in society and, in particular, in the work place. I'd like to vent a moment on the male/father side...
Has anyone actually watched a commercial lately? I'm a single father in charge of everything. Even when I was married, I played a vital role in every decision made. And yet, advertisers portray fathers/husbands as being morons. I understand where it comes from. For years the advertising community created commercials/ads targeting the males. Then, in the '70s or so, they researched and found that it was common that the wives/mothers did the shopping, and turned the advertising direction that way.
I'm an electrical engineer. I see this as being an under-damped system. This is like a pendulum that swings each way, and each time swings a little less to the other side. Like the women I read about that are taking care of kids, I fight tooth-and-nail for the flexibility to make sure that I can walk Annie up the hill to school, and pick her up after daycare. I've had job opportunities that offered more, but wouldn't entertain them given the flexibility that my current job offers.
So, why is it that 90% of commercials (ok, that's a guess, I could do a statistical analysis if necessary), depict the male in a household to be an idiot? They are portrayed as lazy, stupid, and uninvolved. Frankly, if women really believe that, why would they ever have relationships? If women really respond to that, I will be devistated. If anyone ever suggested that my wife (ok, wives) were less than brilliant, I'd have been all over them (granted, it's ok now). At any rate, I can't believe that women could possibly be intrigued by that. Why would you (if you were involved with a man and jointly making buying decisions), find that compelling?
So, if there are advertising people out there who care about what a middle-classed male would be persuaded to buy, you've been failing. I actually choose products against you if you portray me as a father in an unflattering light. I'm dedicated and aware about what goes on in my family's life. Perhaps it is unorthodox, but if you discount me, you'll feel it... one purchase at a time.
Doing my best
Has anyone actually watched a commercial lately? I'm a single father in charge of everything. Even when I was married, I played a vital role in every decision made. And yet, advertisers portray fathers/husbands as being morons. I understand where it comes from. For years the advertising community created commercials/ads targeting the males. Then, in the '70s or so, they researched and found that it was common that the wives/mothers did the shopping, and turned the advertising direction that way.
I'm an electrical engineer. I see this as being an under-damped system. This is like a pendulum that swings each way, and each time swings a little less to the other side. Like the women I read about that are taking care of kids, I fight tooth-and-nail for the flexibility to make sure that I can walk Annie up the hill to school, and pick her up after daycare. I've had job opportunities that offered more, but wouldn't entertain them given the flexibility that my current job offers.
So, why is it that 90% of commercials (ok, that's a guess, I could do a statistical analysis if necessary), depict the male in a household to be an idiot? They are portrayed as lazy, stupid, and uninvolved. Frankly, if women really believe that, why would they ever have relationships? If women really respond to that, I will be devistated. If anyone ever suggested that my wife (ok, wives) were less than brilliant, I'd have been all over them (granted, it's ok now). At any rate, I can't believe that women could possibly be intrigued by that. Why would you (if you were involved with a man and jointly making buying decisions), find that compelling?
So, if there are advertising people out there who care about what a middle-classed male would be persuaded to buy, you've been failing. I actually choose products against you if you portray me as a father in an unflattering light. I'm dedicated and aware about what goes on in my family's life. Perhaps it is unorthodox, but if you discount me, you'll feel it... one purchase at a time.
Doing my best