Another 'Men as Lousy Parents' TV Commercial
July 17th, 2007 by Glenn Sacks, MA for Fathers & Families
Ned Holstein of Fathers & Families first pointed out the "Man Mom" advertising campaign to me. The campaign is for Combos Snacks, and is another example of the common TV theme of men as irresponsible, uncaring parents.
In the ads, whatever the problem (illness, stress, whatever) the only solution the male parent can come up with is Combos Snacks--"what your mom would feed you if your mom were a man."
To watch the ad, click here.
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July 17th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Who do these ads appeal to. men, woman, or both?
I suspect that until one has been through the family court and see that this type of thing can and will be used to show that you are an unfit parent, will find this humorus.
My ex. complained to the judge..."I couldn't provide a safe and nurturing enviroment for my son"........no evidence is needed because the "bad dad" stereotype kicks in.
Prior to my divorce I would have seen most of the ads posted here in a lite hearted humorus way.
July 17th, 2007 at 10:12 am
..."What your mom would feed you if your mom were a man"
...The relentless, cowardly attack on people with no special political protections continues unabated. Let's see this company make this commercial with a woman or a minority as the fool. Think that would happen? Not on your life...
July 17th, 2007 at 10:43 am
The problem is women spend nearly ALL money. I think it's something like 86%. This means that ad companies think they should belittle men as much as possible as it makes women feel smug and self-riteous. Plus, humour always works when you mock someone/thing. But they can't mock women because that would be 'sexist'!
Plus, men are generally a lot better at dealing with criticism. Men take the piss out of eachother all the time, in a friendly way. Women don't have this sort of friendly banter and so can't deal with criticism as well.
What really disturbs me is the universality of man-bashing. In every country, in every form of media I have encountered. Men are constantly belittled.
July 17th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
The 'child' in the ad was male and seemed awfully old. Why did the kid need such care from any parent. Male or Female. He deserves processed cheese and nitrates.
July 18th, 2007 at 2:52 am
A number of years ago I got "into" media critics such as Noam Chomsky and Ralph Nader. They both wrote extensively that the media was driven by ratings to go to the lowest common denominator. Part of this was that television was increasingly becoming a a medium in which people were publicly humiliated. Look at daytime shows (such as Jerry Springer), "reality" programming, and COPS style shows.
Of course, Chomsky and Nader are both crazy radicals, so what do they know?
Well, maybe something. Because what you see on your television is exactly what they were talking about. How many times have you seen some heroic police sting, in which our brave officers risk their lives to arrest consenting adults for engaging in prostitution? Bashing men was bound to become popular because women control what is watched on most nights of the week -- not to mention during daytime.
But this is not a problem for me. Why? Because I got rid of my television years ago. What put me over the top on this was the wave of anti-drug commercials. I really resent the government and its corporate partners assaulting my liberties by daring to presume to tell me how to live my life. So I got rid of the media which was bringing their repressive propaganda into my home. Since then, I have lived a much better life. Liberated myself, you might say.
Rather than complaining about what is on television, why not simply get rid of it?
Here’s a website for some encouragement:
http://www.turnoffyourtv.com/
July 18th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
"Who do these ads appeal to. men, woman, or both?"
I imagine most people of both genders think this ad is hilarious. I don't think it is saying that *all* men are lousy parents, but it does poke fun at men trying to be women and shows how ridiculous it is when fathers try to be mothers...
July 18th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Gender politics aside; I find this ad incredibly "disturbing". The men are horrible issue should be way down on a long list of issues associated with this commercial.
Nothing about a middle aged man dressed in a nightgown when his teenage son walks in complaining of fever and sweats conjures up pangs of hunger for Combos Pizza Snacks.
I liked Combos. Especially the pretzel/nacho cheese flavor. I occasionally picked up a small snack pack when I was on a long car trip during a petro stop. I will be hard pressed to eat even one in the future without triggering the mental images planted by this advertisement.
Glenn, I'm tempted to ask for some executive names, not so we can email blitz our opposition, but just pass on a good ribbing for being so asinine.
July 18th, 2007 at 12:12 pm
re: . I don't think it is saying that *all* men are lousy parents, but it does poke fun at men trying to be women and shows how ridiculous it is when fathers try to be mothers...
...This is a statement that makes no sense. Outside of breast-feeding and actually giving birth, please name one task pertaining to child-raising that only women can perform. Just one, please.
July 18th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
to anyone who thinks it's " ridiculous" for fathers to try to be mothers, sometimes it is necessary. Check out this blurb on Olympic speed skater Apollo Ohno:
"Apolo Ohno was raised entirely by father Yuki who had immigrated alone from Tokyo at the age of 18. Yuki dropped out of accounting studies at Seattle City College in favor of the less cerebral profession of cosmetology. He opened his own Seattle beauty salon and enjoyed enough success to party hearty with other young hairdressers. He was 36 before marrying Apolo's mother. The marriage ended within a year, putting Yuki in the unfamiliar position of having to provide mothering and a stable home for his infant son."
July 18th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
So, CRoss, do you think it's simply hilarious for a father to try to take care of a child?
July 21st, 2007 at 11:09 am
mothers and fathers should be equal but we know its not. However, what about mothers trying to fathers. its far easier for a female to become a mommy then a man to be come daddy. all a female as to do is to visit a local sperm bank............
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:58 pm
Nuts from all over the politcal spectrum are always blaming this conspiracy or that for controlling the media: "big corporations", "whitey", "the man", "the jews", "the liberals", "rupert murdoch", etc, etc...
The truth of the matter is that WESTERN WOMEN control the media and culture. How could anyone not notice this !? The truth is right out in the open, it's no conspiracy. Women spend almost ALL of the money .. they do most of the purchasing and influence most purchasing decisions. This is because women are controlling, manipulative, narcissistic, entitled and greedy by nature and feminism only reinforces this tendency. They love to control everything - they know money and purchasing controls culture and media - and therefore controls the REALITY we live in. This is why women have little need to vote or care about politics - they've already done so with (mostly) MEN's money. Entitlement *is* women's Empowerment.
July 24th, 2007 at 12:07 am
oops - a few other posters above did address the issue of women controlling all purchasing decisions. needless to say, i agree.
July 26th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
...yet another mega-success sans mother. A blurb on Mick Hucknall, singer of Simply Red:
"Hucknall was born in St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, the son of Reg and Maureen Hucknall. Hucknall's mother left the family when Hucknall was 3. [1]. He and his father lived very briefly in Bredbury before settling in Denton, where he grew up."
July 28th, 2007 at 7:53 am
Hey Kumar, I really don't agree with your 'all women are greedy and controlling...' rant. You're being just as bad as the 'all men are rapists' camp. Certainly the slew of sexist advertising and general disregard for men is due to women's purchasing power, but it is not intentional. Most women do not want to hurt all men (that is still the reserve of women's studies graduates). The problem is that advertising companies have realised that humiliating men sells, hence they do it constantly, knowing that it is only women buying the product.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:19 am
This ad, and the Pizza Hut ad featuring Mom and the kids coming home, cringing in anticipation of whatever Dad might have scraped togeather for dinner, are overjoyed that Dad managed a meal from Pizza Hut. Dad looks as proud of himself as a pet ferret with a stolen set of car keys. Two versions are running this month.
If it were a rare thing, and the buffoon in the family were not always and only the Dad, I wouldn't mind. Enough already. Got the message: your company thinks that only when we open our wallet can men accomplish anything.
Suck it, Pepsi-Co, I'm taking my business elsewhere for the next year.
Hallowe'en is coming up, and I'm going to spend money on candy - It won't be with the M&M/Mars company's products, and Easter isn't looking good either.
July 25th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
My God I just seen a Ad where an old women kicks a man in the crotch and it wins an award!!! Like to see the reaction to an Ad depicting a dodery old man angrily slapping a womans breasts.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/19817299.html