Failed ad

One of the few ads that I have come across as provocative and controversial is an ad that is created to raise awareness on aids. This campaign is run in France and has been the talk of the town. There are a few version of this ad. The first version shows a woman and a spider on a couch, sitting in a rather contentious position. The other version is a naked man on top of a spider. Because aids are a sexually transmitted disease, the ad is presented in such a way. 

This ad is inappropriate when it is viewed by younger kids, due to the visuals. Besides that, the spider having replaced humans is rather disturbing and gives out a negative message to the viewers. If an ad like this is being published all over Malaysia, it would definitely be rejected due to the culture of Malaysians whom are somewhat discreet about these topics.  

Another ad that I categorize as a failed ad is an ad that is published back in the 1930’s,during the time when women do not have special rights and are only house wives with no opportunity to work. Therefore, the husbands are the ones who run the family are viewed as superior.  This series of ad states that a woman is clumsy, weak and unable to do things right. This ad is as if directed to the husbands and downgrades woman in general. 

This Volkswagen ad states that a woman is highly likely to hit things. The whole description of this ad about the Volkswagen parts is directed to woman and their clumsiness.  This statement is viewed as sexist when it is directed to only woman.  It gives an idea that woman are clumsy and weak and states nothing about man having the same tendency to hit things.  

-Amirah