Advertising Trends

By: American Decency Staff

When watching television with your family, while there is very little fit for viewing, you can at least control which programs you choose to watch. That can’t be said for the commercials that can quickly assault viewers and are more and more filled with sexual imagery and innuendo.Last week we alerted you to a disturbing Victoria’s Secret commercial featuring a very young model, who appears as young as 15 years old, in a highly sexual ad. Some of you contacted Victoria’s Secret and below is a copy of their incredibly disingenuous response, which completely ignores the concern of an erotic advertisement featuring a young girl. “We received your e-mail regarding our advertisements. We’re sorry that these advertisements were disappointing to you. We understand and respect the opinions of others about what may be judged to be glamorous lingerie for women. We continually evaluate input from our clients and would like to thank you for your time and suggestions. We hope that you’ll continue to shop with us.” Victoria’s Secret needs to continue to hear from you! For information on this concerning ad as well as contact information for Victoria’s Secret see our email alert at: http://americandecency.org/main.php?f=updates_new/2007/May/5.04.07 Another company that increasingly uses sexual innuendo in their advertisements is Arby’s. Their trend may be subtle, but it seems that with each new campaign a more suggestive ad is aired. In recent years there was the ad featuring the wife in fishnet stockings and lingerie trying to seduce her husband. Then there was the Arby’s ad with a group of construction workers checking out several beautiful women walking by. Now Arby’s is airing a new ad with even more blatant innuendo. The ad features a group of men leaning out of a car window, giving the impression they are ogling a woman. They make suggestive comments such as “Do you think those are real? I’d like to get my hands on them.” While the ad turns out to be talking about popcorn chicken, the damage is done and a sexual idea is planted in the viewer’s mind. One of our staff persons reported being bombarded with this ad while watching a baseball game. Arby’s is trying to appeal to men while ignoring the fact that many children are tuned in as well. Arby’s reinforces the view of women as sexual objects to be exploited and condones the notion that all men leer at women. Let Arby’s know what you think of their trend of using sexual themes in their advertisements. Contact Arby’s: Triarc Companies, Inc. – Arby’s Nelson Peltz – Chairman & CEO 280 Park Ave. New York, NY 10017 Phone: 212-451-3000 Fax: 212-451-3134 Email: investor-relations@triarc.com Or email: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=67548&p=irol-inforeq ********* Sample letter to Arby’s: Dear , I want you to know how displeased I am with your recent television commercial using sexual innuendo and a group of leering men to sell chicken. How disappointing that your company has brought further degradation to the airwaves by choosing to advertise in such a way. Please know that this type of suggestive ad will not entice me to choose Arby’s, rather it will have the opposite effect. I will not support a company that undermines my family’s values and desensitizes children to sexual themes. I urge you to abandon this type of advertising. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, ********* Note: Your letters do make a difference. In March we alerted you to a Rice-A-Roni “Nature’s Way” ad that featured nudity. We encouraged you to write of your concern and displeasure. Soon afterwards the ad was no longer airing and has now been replaced with a similar ad for Rice-A-Roni’s “Nature’s Way” – however is this ad everyone is wearing clothes! Please continue to be salt and light. Your voice is needed! ============================================================ Let’s encourage one another and strengthen one another to be more like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 PH: 231-924-4050 www.americandecency.org

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