In today’s episode of ‘What The Hell Is Going On?’, an Indian body spray brand actually thought it was okay to use women’s fear of getting raped to sell their product and thereby, propagating rape culture.
There have to be some regulations for ads man. That Shot deo ad is nothing short of disgusting actually. Even though I knew it was an ad and it wouldn't happen. The fear for a second I felt was real. Imagine making an ad on the fears of millions of women! WTF!
— Permanently Exhausted Pigeon (@monikamanchanda) June 3, 2022
They have come up with two different ads which were being played on television, videos of which were shared online. In one advertisement, a group of boys enter a room and see a couple sitting together in bed. One of them asks the boy if he got a “shot” (insinuating a sexual act) and when he says he did, another guy says it’s their turn and scares the girl. It’s only later that he walks towards the deo bottle instead.
Can’t find the ad online but here it is, apparently being played during the match. I didn’t see it till @hitchwriter showed it to me
Who are the people making these ads really? pic.twitter.com/zhXEaMqR3Q
— Permanently Exhausted Pigeon (@monikamanchanda) June 3, 2022
In another advertisement, a group of boys say “Hum chaar aur yeh sirf ek? Toh shot kaun lega?”, the camera then shows a petrified woman. They then move on to grab a bottle of the deo.
How does this kind of ads get approved, sick and outright disgusting. Is @layerr_shot full of perverts? Second ad with such disgusting content from Shot.@monikamanchanda pic.twitter.com/hMEaJZcdmR
— Rishita💝 (@RishitaPrusty_) June 3, 2022
This brand also shares such posts during Women’s Day but what’s the point when you’re going to make ads like these?
Ladies and gentlemen, the same brand that produced the above ad. Should tell us how all these days are worth shit https://t.co/Wnr1wQxEal
— Permanently Exhausted Pigeon (@monikamanchanda) June 3, 2022
Several people online were left enraged. Many questioned how this advertisement got approved in the first place and asked for it to be taken down.
This is so so wrong. Appalling. Is there any screening for advertisements anywhere aby anyone to start with?
If nothing else, this should come directly under purview of @NCWIndia and I know it might sound weird but they must act against the network first. The advertiser later. https://t.co/uVb7xYVHDy
— Yashwant Deshmukh 🇮🇳 (@YRDeshmukh) June 4, 2022
Trivialising a fear that women feel or is forced to feel to sell Deo is really hitting a new low in advertising world. https://t.co/xlxAomFDVd
— Snehesh Alex Philip (@sneheshphilip) June 4, 2022
They literally took a woman's worst fear and used it as shits and giggles to promote their product with zero remorse. And they did it very, very intentionally (there's clear fear shown on her face). They are using that fear as a joke. And have no shame about it. https://t.co/uvGNZVm8a9
— Disgruntled Pelican 🏳️🌈 (@ThisisLLN) June 3, 2022
how did this even get approved. they must have thought they really made a cool creative ad?? all shot ads are like this where they use things that women fear ?? huh https://t.co/b8VdUo4Ggi
— Rabbit Who? (@AreYouBunny) June 3, 2022
I can picture a bunch of marketing & ad dudebros in the conference room high-fiving each other thinking what they just came up with is hilarious and sooooo clever. Disgusting https://t.co/tHpS0cyacr
— 🗿 (@clayyytonbigsby) June 3, 2022
Did no one in the coked up ad agency stop to think even once that this was a terrible fucking idea?
Holy shit. https://t.co/ROZsZHqI7Y
— Sujay (@WeirdlyHungry) June 3, 2022
If you don't see any problem in this ad, you've failed as a human being and we have failed as a society. This is utterly shameful. Can't even imagine who had the balls to approve this shithousery. https://t.co/DmpLOtAIzf
— Jaanvi🏏 (@ThatCric8Girl) June 3, 2022
In the past, there have been many advertisements, especially those for deodorants and perfumes, where similar sexual suggestions were made. This is not okay and it needs to stop.