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Every week, msnbc.com entertainment producers Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, Denise Hazlick, Paige Newman, Kurt Schlosser and Anna Chan weigh in on topics ranging from TV commercials to movie hype to the latest celebrity blunder. We're not ashamed to admit our love for bad TV or reveal what's on our iPods, and invite you to join the conversation via your comments.



In ads, dads are always dumb jocks

Posted: Thursday, July 23, 2009 6:00 AM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
Filed Under:

I understand that commercials have a short amount of time to deliver their message. But really, do they have to fall back on stereotypes quite so often?


Dads are doofuses, at least according to commercials.

If there's a dad in a commercial, he's almost always a doofus with a smarter wife who smiles benevolently at him when he does something dumb. (See also: "According to Jim.") Dads in commercials like sports, TV, barbecuing and sitting on couches. They're often chubby. Example? This dad in the Verizon ad, who pours all the ice-cream sprinkles (jimmies, to some of you) on the tiny cup of ice cream.

If there's a woman in a commercial, she loves shoes and shopping, kids and chocolate. It practically goes without question that she's a mom. Even if her kids seem to be pushing 20, she herself never appears older than 35. She often has a gaggle of giggling girlfriends who wear snazzy outfits even to the playground. She and her girlfriends are never overweight. Example? Actress Dori Kelly gets a sticker stuck on her rump in this GLAH-DAY (Glade) commercial.

If there are single people in ads, they are always having the time of their life. They dance the night away, take cruises to exotic ports of call and spend hours drinking colorful drinks in bars, although they don't get drunk. They're never lonely.

Babies are adorable and never have colic or tantrums. Kids are cute and freckled and use words that are way too advanced for their age. Almost everyone lives in a giant house in the suburbs with a huge front lawn. (Unless they're farmers, in which case they always wear denim overalls and are constantly riding a tractor.) Everyone has a kitchen that's bigger than my first apartment, with a giant marble center island. No one rents. Grandparents always have adorable puffs of white hair and want nothing more than to bake cookies or go fishing with their grandkids. No one over 60 has a job.

These stereotypes are part of why I really wanted to like the Liberty Mutual ad series we discussed earlier, with the Marlowes. Say what you will about these odd ads, at least the people in them aren't stereotypes. (Growly voiced dad who had to take a pay cut? Goofy grandpa who keeps wandering off? The kid who wears a costume to dinner?)

I'm not saying that we need commercials to be Debbie Downers and portray the dark side of life all the time. They're selling a product, I get that, and they don't want to bum us out. But how about a little nuance once in a while? How about a person or family I might recognize as real?

What stereotypes have you seen over and over again in commercials? Discuss them in the comments.

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Comments

How about the ones where the moms are always terribly happy the kid(s) just made a flood of some sort after they just finished cleaning simply because they have a paper towel to wipe it up with

Elaine, Georgia (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:16 PM)

I think that overall commercials are now directed to a younger generation that actually finds some of these stupidity funny. I teach at a major university and did a class project using some of the least liked commercials (Burger King, Quiznos, KY Jelly, ED products and so on) most of my college age kids loved them they thought they were funny and could not understand the big deal being made over them. Also we examined the stereotypical couples in sitcoms and commercials, cute, slim, kind, not so bright pretty wife and overweight, balding, not so smart, rude, and inmature husband.  On the other hand, the demanding, bossy wives are not as young, not as pretty and are normally married to a sympathetic, well meaning, can't get it right, idiot, and by the way if they have been married for very long, they have to be miserable.  Some of my guest speakers fromt the advertising industry, said that they watch to see how successful these shows are, and use them as inspiration for their adds, thus prolonging the stereotyping of both men and women on television.

Most of my students, found Jim from "According to Jim," to be "lucky man" married to a hot wife, being able to screw up, hurt her feelings constantly and at the end she would just pat him on the head and make everything alright. Of course most of my students are young men, that cannot see themselves in Jim, so the don't care that they are being stereotyped. On the other hand, the young women, thought that if they looked like Courtey Thorne-Smith, they would not be married to a jerk like Jim, overweight, balding and "old." But also did not seem bothered by the stereoptyping.  As long as the product sells, the shows are succesfull, the stereotyping will continue

JL3kids (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:17 PM)

It's not just commercials.  How many cartoons and kids shows portray fathers as idiots?  The Simpsons, The Family Guy, Fairly Odd Parents, Jimmy Nuetron, Drake and Josh, etc.

Mike D, West Chester OH (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:18 PM)

I'd be a liar if I said I never laughed at one of those stereotypical commercials, but I would definitely be overjoyed to see a new wave of commercials on my TV screen the defied stereotypes.

I almost jumped for joy when I saw a Walmart commercial with an everyday looking, cute mom who clearly had a little extra belly (unheard of!) but once again the husband was clueless (expected).

Nadine, Hampton, VA (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:18 PM)

I've spent the last 30 minutes reading these comments and have seen at least 100 brand names used in the comments. That my friends, is product placement, and is free publicity for the companies. The advertising campaigns are designed for 2 specific reasons:

1. The obvious. Sell their brand.

2. To get people to start talking about it on public forums like everyone is now and when that happens, it's free advertising.

In other words, if you find the commercials rude/insulting/profiling, don't talk to other people about it bc it creates "buzz" for that product/company. Just email them or stop buying their products.

Zachary D. Harrisburg, PA (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:21 PM)

Are you kidding me. Of all the things going on in the world were complaining about the sterotypes in commercials? All you people are stupid for caring about this. Get lives care about something that actually matters. It's stuff like this that makes me cry for the human race.

Ryan Folsom CA (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:23 PM)

I remember a Coke comercial where a dad asked his son to get him a soda. The son, realizing there was only one left, remembered some of the good things dad had done for him in his life, and he gave up the last Coke for his dad (without dad realizing it was the last one). I was so impressed with them not showing dad as an idiot and showing the son as an apreciative kid, I wrote them a very heart-felt thank you for that awsome add. And, by the way, i swithced to Coke.

Kimball, Clearfield UT (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:24 PM)

There are always 2 kids.  One boy and one girl.  Evidently this is the ideal family formula that we should all strive for..

Shannon M., Austin, TX (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:25 PM)

My husband totally resents the stereotyping of guys, and I do too, especially the way dads/husbands and moms/wives are presented in contrast to each other.  Too many times dads are just "one of the kids" and/or totally stupid, and they often are overweight with skinny wives.  Moms and wives are smart, savvy, skinny and also constantly nagging.

My husband is a great dad, is very knowledgeable, changes tons of diapers, cooks, cleans, and is as comfortable with the kids as I am.  We both hate that every commercial for a children's medicine refers to "doctor mom" when my husband is just as capable and intelligent as I am. TV sitcoms are just as bad in this regard. Older shows like The Cosby Show were among the few who got it right...

Julie, Lexington, KY (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:27 PM)

Sure, but it doesn't matter how stupid the dads are portrayed, when he always has a hot wife.  No matter how overweight, gray haired or bald, the woman's always gotta be hot.

I guess I wouldn't mind if we women had hot guys to look at, too.  Why don't we get eye candy?

Megan G, Little Rock, AR (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:28 PM)

All of this goes to show that our society is slowly but surely pushing men, real "men", out. Recently saw on the news that there is a scientist somewhere who has found a way to manufacture human sperm from stem cells. The overall goal is to eliminate the need for a man in a relationship. The story went on to say that "in this case, two women could, in reality, get pregnant without a man or any sort of injection." Now, why in the world would someone be in a lab trying to find a way to generate sperm? With all the diseases going around, we are spending our money on researching...sperm?! Is there a shortage that I don't know about?
You'll also notice in a lot of shows and commercials that a lot of the men act really "soft". This is not a slight to homosexuals, but it's almost as if they want everyone to believe that this is the way to be. Is it any wonder, then, that men are portrayed as ignorant and their wives as the king of the roost?

Black Flag (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:29 PM)

Guess what?  They wouldn't use these stereotypes if they didn't work. They may not be "real" but they do appeal to how people would like to self identify.  

Most mothers of 2-4 kids may not be trim, fit and attractive but most mothers of 2-4 kids would like to be or thought of as that way. Most women that I know also want to believe they are the heart and soul of the household and the world would fall apart without them at the rudder, so the bumbling dad plays well.

Also pay attention to when you are seeing these ads.  As you cite shows like Everybody loves Raymond, According to Jim, Home Improvment, etc.  These are shows that I have nothing against (well except Everyone Loves Raymond, but for completely unrelated reasons), but they aren't on the top of any 25-40 year old man's must see TV list that I know.

These ad execs know who they are marketing to.  They know that even today that generally speaking it's the woman in a joint household are the arbiters of purchasing power for household items. So in supposed family oriented programming what you're going to see is what plays well with mothers.  In most households it won't matter if the husband is offended.  He's not making the purchasing decision anyway.  

However, if/when you tune into shows like 24 or The Shield, and definitely if you wander over to a Network like Spike to watch UFC or something, you're not going to get this stereotype often (if at all).

Layne F., Cincinnati, OH (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:30 PM)

ok, just wanted to check in with everybody real quick.

You know the people on the TV aren't really like that right? they are just actors playing a part?

Once you realize that, your life will be much easier...

Omega Buzzkill Denver (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:31 PM)

The worst commercial is the one where to woman is on the phone talking about what presumably her dog ate and caused it to get sick.  Then, she says something to the order of "No, Rex is my husband."  Could they be more direct in calling men dogs.

Chris (New York, NY) (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:31 PM)

This trend of expecting men to be stupid and bumbling is in the real world- when I starting working after high school I ran into a lot of older women who like to make jokes to the detriment of men. I was apparently weird because those jokes made me uneasy, as they are patently unfair!  When I am out with my fiance (who is quite intelligent!) I notice that older women checkers like to make kinder versions of the same jokes, right in front of him. Who taught these women that it is ok to treat men this way?

Anne, Tacoma, WA (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:31 PM)

What's really scary is when people's tastes begin to reflect what's considered 'popular' though the product doesn't deserve the popularity. And what's even scarier is when I see grown men, and sometimes women, acting like the brainless "goodtime partiers"
we see in commercials.
People are affected by this junk and that's the most frieghtening of all.

Craig M. Pompano Beach, FL (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:31 PM)

Then their is Tony and Carmela Soprano. Where do they fit this.

Suzy Q. St.Pete Fl (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:32 PM)

Men have been portrayed as idiots to the point that we have alot young men today who think that being immature and dressing like Al Bundy is what being a real man is!  America needs to start looking inward at the real issues we are facing!  Men used to be aggressive and wanted to make something out of themselves, we have made men into SLACKERS!

K Webber, York, PA (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:33 PM)

OMG! I am surprised there has been no public outrage about media's male stereotyping to date!  It is horrible!  The Home Depot ad where the mother pays the daughter to trick the husband into remodeling the kitchen is especially offensive to me.  Not only is the mom smarter than the dad, but so are the children!  There are so many of these emasculating ads/shows on TV (check out the men on Gary Unmarried or New Christine) that it makes me paranoid.  Is that what women and children really think of us? Does being a husband mean you must submit to the will of your wife?  When you become a father will your children automatically disrespect you?

I really would like to hear from someone in the media about how and why this happens.  Is it done on purpose?  Is it a conspiracy to assert the power of women?  Do they teach this in media college?  Is it written about in media professional publications?  How is it that all of these companies and all of thier advertising minions use the same formula?

Oh, and BTW, did anyone notice that almost all of the postings here, come from the Midwest/South?  

JW, St. Louis, MO (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:35 PM)

The bad thing about popular media portraying Dad's as incompetent parents, is that the stereotype carries over to family court, which causes father's to be cheated out of equal time with their children in cases of divorce. Mother's do not have any inherit advantage when it comes to raising children, other than breastfeeding, and for that, Father's can turn to Carnation GoodStart or Similac.

Michael, Chesterfield, New Jersey (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:39 PM)

I only saw the ad about twice, but it was hilarious.  A dog was doing the butt-scoot on the carpet.   Time to call ServiceMaster.... funny stuff

Jeff, Orlando FL (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:40 PM)

Yeah, Dad's the dummy now, but it wasn't always that way. The commercials spawned during the "Lucy Show" era of television were exactly the opposite. The man could do no wrong, but Mom just couldn't get that spot out of his shirt. The change came about during those heady days of the sixties and seventies, when women's organizations started popping up across the nation and producers of commercials were put on notice that lawsuits were forthcoming if the situation didn't change. The result is what you see today, a husband that can hold down a successful career and somehow manage to pay off a big house, a fleet of cars, the pool in the backyard, and a host of cell phones. He's a regular dynamo at work. Then he walks through is own front door after work. Suddenly he is transformed into a creature so stupid he has to be retrained how to vacuum the floor properly every time he does it. He can be found with a dumb look on his face at all times of the day and night, while Mom smugs it for the camera. He can forget doing anything fun this coming weekend, because the house must be painted, redecorated and refurnished. The lawn must be cared for and landscaped. The garbage must be taken out and the garage cleaned. If there's any time left, Mom will once again try to train the ignorant sod how to sort the clothes for the wash. Heavy sigh; good thing Mom's there to take care of him. Othewise, he might forget to breathe. Why does someone have to be the goat? Are we so simplistic that this is the only way to sell us products? I sincerely hope not.

D.S. Dille Vancouver, Wash. (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:42 PM)

I think there is some ageism in this, too. Older men (in office settings) are the clueless ones wandering around until some chirpy young female rescues him and the rest of the work team with the obvious simple answer - the advertiser's product. Older women in the office (almost none) are most likely wearing Prada, so they are really hip.

Jerry John, Sussex, Wisconsin (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:43 PM)

Yep, many fathers actually do housework, grocery shopping, take care of the kids, all while holding down a full-time job.  And guess what?  Many mothers actually mow lawns, do home repairs, change the oil in the car, and watch sports, all while holding down a full-time.  We're in the 21st century, and most ad people are idiots from the 1960's anyway.

Rex, Idaho (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:43 PM)

My wife and I have talked about this subject alot.  We purposely avoid buying ANY of those products that are advertised showing the men as idiots or incompetant.  In my late 40's, I can probably run circles around any kid or geek when it comes to computers.  I can also wire a home, build cabinets, and repair electric motors.  It's the feminisation of America and the dumbing down of our upcoming male generation.

Jonathan Maxx, Orlando, Fl. (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:44 PM)

Commercials aren't about being fair or representing real people.  The point of an advertisement is to sell a product and millions of dollars are spent finding out how to do that.  One (and yes it's sad) way is to promote strereotypes.  Watching what we consider the "perfect American family" sparks an emotional center and urges a consumer to spend their money.  

Are you more accepting when models are good looking or do you flip out because Kevin James or Dan Ackroyd aren't modeling the new Calvin Klein jeans?

Let's do what we can to get back on our feet as an economic power, do what we can to sell a product and stop worrying about what someone looks like in a commercial.

Aaron, Cincinnati, OH (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:45 PM)

It's TV people.. Relax and take a break from real life. Unplug and laugh. It feels good. If you honestly think your circle of friends see you in the same light as these commericals then it is time to get new friends.

Philadelphia PA (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:47 PM)

I read a good point to remember about tv dads. The point was about dads in shows, but it could apply to dads in commercials as well.

The point is that no matter how stupid a dad might be -- think Homer Simpson, Al Bundy, etc -- he manages to keep a roof over his family's head and food on the table.

How many tv shows feature a family living under a bridge, begging for food?

So tv is not totally anti-dad.

Bob W., Chantilly VA (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:47 PM)

My mom always hates the ads with the mothers who stand there with a big grin on their faces whenever a child makes a huge spill on the kitchen. Usually followed by a laugh or 'That's okay' and wiped up in a second with 1 paper towel. Talk about false advertising as well. She scoffs at the ease with which its handled and how being done that easily would leave stains on the floor or at least a sticky patch. Add to that any grape juice on the carpet ad where the mother's just as nonchalant.

Ron, Medford, MA (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:54 PM)

The hilarious "Target: Women" video series by Sarah Haskins tackles the female-centric side of marketing stereotypes and I can't recommend it highly enough. Haskins hits the mark every time!

Search for her on YouTube and laugh yourself silly.

scalpod (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:57 PM)

I've never seen a commercial where a man is doing the laundry with Tide or cleaning the bathroom with Scrubbing Bubbles! And I know MRS. Broom isn't making any radio requests for some guy dusting the ceiling fans.
I won't watch, Raymond or any of those shows that portray the wife as a whiney, over bearing physco nor the husband as a moron. Those shows and commercials exploit the women as well as the men. Not all women are whiners and complainers and not all men are incapable.
Do like I do, turn the channel; demand more, expect better.  Oh and p.s. don't buy their products!

Susan, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:58 PM)

stop watching tv and go out and play..  

jay, oak harbor wa. (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:03 PM)

I too loathe the stupid male ads, but these are a fairly new concept compared to the "women as the only cleaners in the world" insanity.  I don't think I have ever come across an ad for cleaning supplies that show men cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming, dusting, etc. (Swiffer commercials anyone?  Apparently cleaning supplies are love interests for women as well...)Never is there a male spokesperson popping up in people's homes spouting the wonders of Pine-Sol.  Cleaning products that use men are usually for dishwashing detergent - because, you know, if a man is set to do the dishes thank God for grease-power action or he'd be lost like the dope he is...these stereotypes pose a danger in that they reinforce wrong impressions of both sexes. By saying a man is too stupid to clean - the man's intelligence is degraded, the woman's role as "household maven" is reinforced and suddenly we are back in the '50's.  We are a long way from "Mad Men," people!

Oh, and to those who think that this is a subject matter not worthy of discussion, subliminal messages in ads have been and continue to be one of the reasons why there are as many stereotypes today and why both genders struggle to find their true voice.  

Eileen Ward, Cincinnati, OH (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:03 PM)

It is not just the commercials anymore.  Most of you primetime shows and evenmovies almost always portray the man as a complete moron.

Ray Gille (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:07 PM)

This has bothered me for quite some time -- the systematic emasculation of men.  I believe the ball started rolling as far back as the Vietnam Era, where the widespread distrust of authority (white male) and womens' sexual liberation coalesced.  Before that you had your wise, Ward Cleaver and 'Father Knows Best' types.  By and large, educated, so-called "liberated" women get into the shark-infested, advertising work force in droves -- the type of women quick to follow a trend and exploit it -- especially, if at their very core, they endorse it.  On a collective, perhaps unconscious level, I believe this is causing our young males to believe they're not worth anything, and therefore, they do not aspire toward higher levels of education.  (Just look at college demographic trends for proof.  Women now outnumber men!)  This kind of male depiction is only possible in a tolerant society such as ours.  In fact, too tolerant, in my opinion.  Western culture had better wake up because when the proverbial s@*! hits the fan, society needs it's men and sound leadership.  

Eric, Walnut Creek, CA (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:08 PM)

It's interesting to compare how race & gender have been portrayed (or not at all) in commercials during the past decades. Dad-as-Doofus seems like a great ploy to burden mom with all the domestic heavy lifting, while dad is off the hook yet again. Except when he's a work failing to protect his family and another white guy breaks in.  Notice how the call center is staffed with preppies & looks like NASA? We all suspect why the villian is white, and the ad companies know we know. So does this paradoxically reinforce race based stereotypes in a wink-nudge kind of way?  

Alan H, Tacoma, WA (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:10 PM)

The one point that I think most of you are missing, is that these anti-man (and, it's funny that the english language doesn't have a word for man hater, as it does for woman hater, "misogynist") commercial stereotypes, are aimed at the typical woman, who may or may not work around the home. The really sad fact is that these ads put men in a light that is acceptable, and recognizable to those women, who obviously have an extremely low opinion of men.
And, if you investigate the typical "Chick Flick", you'll find the same fat, lazy, stupid, and worse, stereotype projected of all men, except the sex/love interest.
I believe the real action that needs to be taken here is to fight against that stereotype, by refusing to buy into it. Recognize and reject the women who believe in it (it's really easy guys, just listen to what they say to other women), challenge it whenever it's raised, and complain loudly to anyone who propogates it (unjustifiably). But, if you fit that stereotype, change ! Stereotypes are based on commonly recognizable traits, and don't last if they don't exist.
The other sad thing about these ads, and women, is that women tend to hate men because they are different than women, while men love women, becaue of their differences. This is the most common form of sexism that exists in America today, and also fundamental biggotry.

Steven C (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:10 PM)

The male bashing in commercials has driven me nuts for years.  At one point I kept a list of the guilty companies and would not buy their products.  I soon gave up on the list when I found I could no longer buy common household staples...It is that prevalent.

Ben Dover, Seattle (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:11 PM)

i am a mixed person (half black half white) and so my family is very multiracial as well. i always notice that a black person is always married/dating a black person. no one on tv or commercials date/marry another colored person. white are always with whites and once in a while, black is with a not-white person.

also, in commercials/shows with black people...the woman is ALWAYS lighter than the man. i have never seen a really dark woman on tv.

Laurel, Madison, WI (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:12 PM)

Advertising is meant to play on emotional and irrational needs. The $4 coffee won't make you cooler, smarter, or happier, but the ads will make many "feel" like it does. The lack of originality is annoying though, and its because the creators and/or 'rubber-stampers' went to traditional marketing class and should never be entrusted with marketing budget.

Tiemen, Mesa, AZ (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:12 PM)

Someone has finally noticed! RE: the Yoplait commercial, they have a new ad running now with the same couple, but he's in front, and she's looking in the fridge, same roles however.  Go figure! Diversity is really strange in commercials...  It seems every one, whether with people or animated, has to have at least half minorities.  But, the ones with all minority characters don't seem to need any persons of palor. What's up with that?

CJ, Springfield, IL (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:14 PM)

The laughter.  Nonstop laughter from every person on every screen in any ad involving liquor, beer, single people, toys, fabric softener... endless.  We all enjoy a good laugh, but some of these ads are really pushing the limits of how much people smile and laugh in a given day over some of the most inane products.  Your face would hurt at the end of the day in an ad-world.

I will pay anyone $100 if they ever catch me smiling and laughing as I pull a towel out of the dryer and rub it on my face as depicted in many fabric softener ads.  What is that all about?  

Snuggles, Your Laundry Cabinet. (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:14 PM)

It's always bugged me how it's acceptable to portray men as bumbling idiots.Those old Carl's Jr. commercials were the worst. "Without us some guys would starve"...What we can't cook for ourselves? I'm sure if these and other commercials portrayed women as being the dummies Gloria Allred and the rest of the hairy legged feminists would be up in arms!

Johnny Lawson (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:16 PM)

Why aren't more guys upset with the Subway ad where Dad throws a tantrum because he wants his steak and cheese and there isn't time to get one? I'm a woman and I cringe at seeing a guy - and a parent, no less - portrayed this way. Subway may think it did its job as an ad because I remember it so well - but I also remember it and think "I'm not giving my money to them!"

LabGirl New Haven CT (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:18 PM)

As a gay man, I can say I'm already oversensitized to looking for sexual inequality in commercials. But with many of the other men here (straight AND not), I'd like to see some independent, or at least competent men in family life that doesn't scream: I need a woman to take care of me.

Michael, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:21 PM)

"Just a thought" from Texas hit it on the nose. Women purchase most of the household goods, so by way of presentation they are meant to feel smart and empowered by making 'the right decision'. The idiot husband should just comply with his brilliant wife's desires.
Like a growing number of Americans, my wife and I run a web-based business from home and split all responsibilities down the middle. These advertisers better keep up with the times if they want to catch out attention.

Tiemen, Mesa, AZ (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:23 PM)

Why are there never any smart, slim, bald guys, of any color in commercials?  The world is full of them, why not TV?  

Anybody notice that in recent WallyMart ads, that men don't shop or work there, and NO ONE shopping there is anything but white, young, female and thin?  Ick.

skm, SE Michigan (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:24 PM)

And why does every white male have to be stupid?  The black family with all the manners and money but then they go to get ice cream and the dumb white boy behind the counters have the "I'm stoned and really don't understand" look on their face.  I am sick of it alread!

Johh M. Largo, Florida (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:25 PM)

The same dad stereotype is really evident and exaggerated in Father's Day cards and cards specifically for a Dad's birthday.  If you dad isn't either bad at sports, bad at golf, bad at understanding directions, or bad at being a handyman then there's just not a good card to purchase!

Sara, Raleigh, NC (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:26 PM)

I don't watch TV precisely because everything on it is under garbage and distorts the way things truly are.  For instance fathers are always stupid, criminals are always white, Friends are always multicultural, kids are always wise and witty etc.......

Travis Sowers, Bellingham, Washington (Sent Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:35 PM)



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