Unacceptable March Merchandiser Ad

AT&T placed a full page ad in the March Merchandiser. It is located on the inside of the very last page. It has the phone numbers and locations for their local cell stores. It also has a picture of a few baby chickens and some eggs and says in very large print "SO EASY TO TEXT A CHICK COULD DO IT".
This is totally unacceptable and has an underlying derogatory message. If there was a double meaning involved that alluded to a racial or religious group there would be loud protests, but for some reason I can't find anything when I google the slogan. So no one is complaining.
Who else finds this offensive? Pardon me, let me rephrase...what other women find this offensive?
I am appalled that the Merchandiser would run an ad like this.

 

I haven't seen it, but based on your description I don't find it offensive. But I should say that I think there's way too much offense taken these days by everyone about everything and I think sometimes we just need to get over ourselves.

My opinion.

 

okay. what if you put the word "girl" in place of the word "chick". does it still not offend you? that is how it reads to me.
it's just inappropriate, if not offensive. i am surprised that any woman would tolerate a backhanded remark from a large company like that.
do you think i am reading into the link between the word chick and a woman, or that it is just not an offensive comment?

 

I've seen that ad and I figured it was trying to tie into Easter, that's all.

 

yes, it was. but still. what are your thoughts?

 

If it said "girl" or "woman" then yes... I'd probably be offended, or at least annoyed. That's just blatant. But "chick" is obviously a play on words, supposed to be cute, probably. It was pretty ballsy of them to do an ad campaign like that and maybe they should hire a new ad exec with a bit more creativity than copying a Geico ad campaign.

Remember... I'm friends with T8... it takes a LOT to offend me! Now if Redon pops in here and says SHE is offended by this then I'll have to check and see if I still have a pulse.

 

That was the end of it for me. It didn't cross my mind that it might be alluding to women.

 

Sunny,

I know you only asked for women's views on this, but I hope you don't mind one dude's views... Personally, I wanted to say thank you for sharing this. I did not have the same reaction as you did when I saw this in the March Merchandiser, but I can see how you could offended now. I'll ask the ladies in my family what they think.

You definitely should contact AT&T and share your views. I would also contact the Merchandiser and share your perspectives. If the folks at the Merchandiser don't take you seriously at first, think of some ways to get their attention... For example, see how they react if you tell them that you plan on contacting all of the other major advertisers in their publication and telling them that you will stop doing business with them until the Merchandiser addresses your concern appropriately.

 

I think we all can find things to be offended at if we want to. It was a simple play on words that was probably more stupid (didn't they think that dissing women was a bad marketing ploy?!) than offensive. I don't think it's worth another thought. Just don't use AT&T!

 

It really doesn't bother me at all and I am THE chick!!

 

Is this a takeoff of the caveman commercials (so easy, a caveman could do it). It's kind of ironic because the caveman is offended in the commercial. Now if we could just get the martketing group to comapre a woman to a caveman we would be set.

 

There is no irony.
"This is so simple, even YOU could figure it out". Any group put in the YOU category is clearly being called less capable.
If one sees the play on words, then you must also acknowledge that a derogatory comment about women is being made. If you see no connection, then no foul.

 

Sunny, I think your ire is misplaced. I saw the ad and no thoughts of degrading women came to my mind at all. As someone else said, I thought it was an "easter" twist to the caveman ad series. Nothing more, nothing less.

Also, I highly doubt that AT&T or any phone company would intentionally mock or disparage the primary users of text-messaging.

 

Doesn't bother me at all and I'm a woman. I truly think people should chill a bit more and not let every single thing offend them.

 

hah, cmon T8r =) When you hear "chick", you don't assume they are talking about baby chickens... or do you?!

 

If they just wanted an easter twist, they could have shown a bunch of rabbits and said "So easy a bunny could do it" and there would have been no question. If they truly didn't mean a play on words and not one single person affiliated with the campaign realized it would be, then a lot of idiots need to be fired.

 

This is the over-sensitivity of people these days. People CHOOSE to be offended far too often now.

 

Honestly, for the ad, it never crossed my mind.

 

Do you think it is over-sensitive to disapprove of an ad that may imply that women are not smart? Or just conscientious?

 

ha ha. i just noticed my own unintentional pun! "no fowl"!!