Portable On Demand Storage Decides to Remove Anti-Male Ad in Face of Protests
April 17th, 2007 by Glenn Sacks, MA for Fathers & Families
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.
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April 24th, 2007 at 12:06 am
[...] Schwab's full column can be seen here. Also, see our Campaign Against Anti-Male Advertising, as well as our 2004 Campaign Against Anti-Father Verizon Commercial and our Campaign Against Detroit News ‘Get Her a Gift or She’ll Give You a Black Eye’ Ad. Also see Portable On Demand Storage Decides to Remove Anti-Male Ad in Face of Protests. [...]
April 26th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Good business move by PODS. What were they thinking in the first place? A fact that cannot be disputed - men buy more tech gadgets than women. I still wouldn't buy their product but it is nice to see the movement getting some traction....
April 27th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
[...] from Volvo. During our campaign, many readers wrote to me to complain about an anti-male ad by PODS (Portable on Demand Storage). I encouraged my readers and campaign supporters to write to PODS and complain, and PODS decided to [...]
November 14th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
[...] Campaign Against Detroit News ‘Get Her a Gift or She’ll Give You a Black Eye’ Ad and Portable On Demand Storage Decides to Remove Anti-Male Ad in Face of Protests. To learn more about the problems with the way men are portrayed in advertising, click [...]
November 17th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
[...] Background: TV often portrays men and fathers as idiots--to learn more and see video clips, click here. We've done several protests against anti-male ads--to learn more, click here, here, and here. [...]
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:39 pm
[...] Campaign Against Detroit News ‘Get Her a Gift or She’ll Give You a Black Eye’ Ad and Portable On Demand Storage Decides to Remove Anti-Male Ad in Face of Protests. To learn more about the problems with the way men are portrayed in advertising, click [...]
February 1st, 2008 at 5:09 pm
[...] Campaign Against Detroit News ‘Get Her a Gift or She’ll Give You a Black Eye’ Ad and Portable On Demand Storage Decides to Remove Anti-Male Ad in Face of Protests. To learn more about the problems with the way men are portrayed in advertising, click [...]
February 2nd, 2008 at 8:15 pm
[...] Campaign Against Detroit News ‘Get Her a Gift or She’ll Give You a Black Eye’ Ad and Portable On Demand Storage Decides to Remove Anti-Male Ad in Face of Protests. To learn more about the problems with the way men are portrayed in advertising, click [...]
February 25th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
[...] Campaign Against Detroit News ‘Get Her a Gift or She’ll Give You a Black Eye’ Ad and Portable On Demand Storage Decides to Remove Anti-Male Ad in Face of Protests. To learn more about the problems with the way men are portrayed in advertising, click here. The [...]
March 10th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
[...] Campaign Against Detroit News ‘Get Her a Gift or She’ll Give You a Black Eye’ Ad and Portable On Demand Storage Decides to Remove Anti-Male Ad in Face of Protests. The Volvo/Arnold campaign referenced above was the brainchild of advertising guru Richard Smaglick [...]
March 11th, 2008 at 8:11 am
I'd like to see one female that uses the manipulative and invalidating phrase 'take it like a man' be able to use her own tough advice