It's offensive and discriminative as the overall tone suggests that ginger hair is undesirable and will occur as a negative side effect. And the reference to pubic hair is an insult too far.I agree with Ruth Preston, and feel that the advert could lead to discrimination and bullying for those with ginger hair, especially children and teenagers who may already have insecurities concerning their hair colour. The article raises another valid point, that of skin colour, and Ruth's daughter Lauren believes that negative attitudes towards hair colour are as unacceptable as racism. I do believe that the advert would have been banned if it made reference to a change in skin colour, especially if it suggested the change was detrimental to one's appearance.
I then stumbled across this blog, the author of which also expresses a strong negative opinion towards the advert and the other rather distasteful adverts used by Tango to sell their awful gassy drink. However, in a letter from the ASA the advert is classed as 'crude and 'humorous'.
Humorous it may be, but only for those who aren't discriminated against because of their hair colour.
hey, i get your point but i think you're looking at it in entirely the wrong way.
ReplyDeleteremember, the tango company is trying to sell their product.. why would they openly suggest a negative side effect to it?
if galaxy were to create a new advert for their chocolate, they wouldn't say "TOO MUCH OF THIS WILL MAKE YOU FAT" because, well, people aren't going to want to buy it are they?
the tango company want consumers to buy all the tango they want, they definitely aren't trying to warn people away from it, so for that reason it is almost as though they are saying that having your hair turn ginger is a POSITIVE aspect to the drink (although, we know it doesn't actually work)
i think that most people will be able to work out that this is an advert, and that any company with half a brain knows that advertising negative side effects to their products doesn't usually sell very well.
it's not even a funny advert, really, but it certainly is not intended to be offensive. people aren't that stupid, especially companies of the scale that tango is.
anyway, i only stumbled across here because i'm a brunette looking to dye my hair red, so i googled florence welch and came across this!
i hope you are no longer offended by this advert, all that worrying of what other people think can't be good for your health!
Frankly, I wish it could turn my hair ginger. I lost my red mane when I was 8, and have been mourning it ever since!
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