A dear friend tweeted me to suggest that Durex needed to be added to the Misogynistic Advertising Walk of Shame because of an image of sexual violence they used on their FB page. Since I started writing this blog post for its usual Monday morning slot, it appears that Durex has realised the massive PR mistake it made in allowing the photo to be used in the first place. Whilst this is a positive response to the massive criticism they received, its not actually good enough. Sexual advertising is harmful and destructive. It reduces 50% of the consumer base to nothing more than plastic blow-up dolls which is actually a pretty stupid business practise since women make up the vast majority of consumers in terms of household items and groceries. Purchasing condoms ends up "wifework" simply because its a chore. And, we all know women are the ones who do chores.
Taking down the photo also doesn't excuse Durex's reply to my friend Kim's letter of complaint:
Dear Kim,Thank you for your comment on the Durex UK Facebook wall. We appreciate you feel strongly about us removing the image but this will delete all the comments as well and we feel it is important for the conversation trail to remain visible. We don’t want our fans to feel their voices have been hidden.We hope you understand and please take our sincere apologies once again.Kind regards,Durex UKKim replied to their obvious bullshit with this:
Firstly, thank you for the email. However, I feel the decision to leave the content standing is a misinformed one. Durex has a public image, which is reflected in the content it posts on it’s public profiles, including its Facebook and Twitter feeds. It is not silencing to remove posts which offend a large number of people because of a strong link to sexual violence against women. It wouldn’t be silencing to remove it, and follow this up with a further apology. It would be showing that Durex hold a zero tolerance policy against sexual violence, and are committed to upholding their promotion of safe sex; safe sex doesn’t stop with using condoms. It extends to promoting healthy, consensual sexual relationships. By allowing this image to stand, you’re telling numerous survivors of sexual violence and their allies that their pleas not to see offensive media promoting violence against women, from a brand that is supposed to promote sex in a positive light, are unimportant, and unworthy of being responded to in a sensitive manner. You are allowing yourselves to further be associated with violence against women. As a result, I shall be boycotting Durex until the offending image is removed. I shall also be encouraging my friends to do the same. It may be time that Durex reconsider how “safe” their view on safe sex is.
Even though Durex has apparently pulled the ad, I will be joining Kim's boycott because, as she says far more eloquently than I, "My money will be going to condom brands who recognise that safe sex doesn’t stop at the use of a condom". We need to start holding more companies accountable for lazy sexist advertising so that ads which use sexual violence simply don't get made. Ever again.
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