Reebok recently launched an ad campaign with the slogan "Cheat on your girlfriend, not your workout." The ad is, of course, highly offensive for a multitude of reasons. Fortunately, the ad has been pulled and Reebok is apologizing.
I have to wonder how this ad even made it to billboards, magazines, subway stations, and internet ads. I don't need to preach to the choir about why this ad is disgusting and offensive here, but it says something about the world we live in. I can't help but think about how ads like this are affecting young women. Ads like this give a message that women don't matter. A workout is more important than respecting your female partner. Why does a company need to devalue women to sell athletic gear? I have to hope that there are some badass 14 year old grrls blogging about how to rail against machismo and patriarchal dominant culture.
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/03/20/reebok-pulls-ad-urging-people-to-cheat-on-your-girlfriend-not-on-your-workout/
We can hope the new generation gets a message from this, but really...what has happened to personal integrity that an ad like that could get though the upper echelon at a company like Reebok. Apparently the "powers that be" didn't see anything wrong with it. What does that say about the current generation? Sad....
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