Background: Last month we launched our Campaign Against Anti-Male Advertising which focused on the competition for a $150 million advertising contract from Volvo. The agency which is the apparent favorite to win the contract is Arnold Worldwide, recently the creator of numerous anti-male commercials. We asked Volvo not to award the contract to Arnold Worldwide.

To read the press coverage of our campaign and to learn more about our efforts, click here. Also, see my Adweek column Fathers Knows Best (3/12/07), in which I outlined our reasons for the campaign.

During our Campaign Against Anti-Male Advertising many of my readers wrote to me to complain about an anti-male ad by PODS (Portable on Demand Storage). One reader described the commercial as follows:

"Last week a men's PGA Tour pro golf tournament was held near Tampa, FL. The title sponsor was PODS. During the telecasts on The Golf Channel and NBC PODS ran ads that depicted a woman violently assaulting a man because he was 'stupid.' I found these ads to be completely objectionable. I suggest organizing a campaign against PODS."

Another wrote:

"I just wanted to bring your attention to the new Pods commercial [in which] a wife is shown beating her husband for getting a job transfer that requires an additional move. How can they get away with that? If a husband was shown beating his wife all hell would break loose."

While I did not want to launch another campaign simultaneously, I encouraged my readers and campaign supporters to write to PODS and complain, and many of them did.

PODS has now decided to pull the anti-male ad. The statement from Peter S. Warhurst, President & CEO of PODS, which can be seen here, reads:

April 2007

"Dear Sir or Madam:

"I am in receipt of the comments you recently provided regarding our television commercial. Upon further consideration of the spot, and with the feelings of our customers as well as the general public in mind, I have decided to pull it from its rotation and no longer air it.

"While the commercial was created to be lighthearted and comical, I am sensitive to the fact that we have failed in that it has proven offensive to some people. This was never our intent and I am truly sorry for any discomfort or unpleasantness it has caused.

"Thank you for taking the time to bring your concerns to us.

"Sincerely,

Peter S. Warhurst

President & CEO"

I commend Warhurst and PODS for their decision. Congratulations and thanks to all those who participated. Special thanks to John Dias of www.DontMakeHerMad.com, a website which deals with false accusations of domestic violence.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 17th, 2007 at 8:57 pm and is filed under Men's rights, Men and the Media, Sexism, Misandry, Men's Movement, Gender Issues (Misc.), Advertising, TV, Movies & Gender. You can trackback from your own site.