Tag: IWD

My Candidates for WIZO’s Sexist Israeli Ads for 2010

After covering WIZO’s newest annual tradition of giving out a most-chauvinistic-ad award (2008, 2009), I thought I’d one-up myself and actually suggest a couple of ads for next year’s shaming ceremony. Following are two TV spots that caught my eye, one is gratuitously sexual in a let’s-find-an-excuse-for-leering kinda way:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f65xVB9cPs

Israeli Lottery – Gitam BBDO

The other is much less overt, much more complex, filled with misogynistic messages about work, kids, shoes and dieting:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q2hQ41iqsU

Osem’s Lachmit whole wheat cracker – Gitam BBDO

I should probably mention that I have discussed these ads with a couple of female friends who did not see anything particularly shocking with these ads. They did note the ads’ sexist nature, they just didn’t think it was any different from most other Israeli ads.
Obviously, I disagree.

WIZO Announces Most Sexist Israeli Ads for 2009

The Israeli branch of WIZO, the Women’s International Zionist Organization established in 1920, continues its annual tradition of announcing the most chauvinistic Israeli advertisements created during the past year. The worst ad will be announced during International Women’s Day, but the top ten finalists were revealed last week. Following are the most sexist TV spots of 2009 and while they are in Hebrew, sexism transcends language barriers:

Tempo’s Goldstar beer – McCann-Erickson Israel
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8goTtVdOblM

Israel Post – Glickman-Nettler-Samsonov
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SLFzdafd7A

Trima’s Postinor morning-after pill – Armoni BATES
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CYKG7tMNuI

Procter & Gamble’s Fairy liquid – Adler, Chomsky & Warshavsky
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enmsH6dVSXw

New Hamashbir Lazarchan – McCann-Erickson Israel
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYU3FnJRwVU

International Women’s Day 2008 in Israel – Follow-up #2: Tel-Aviv Bar Association

The day before yesterday we learned that the Israeli parliament celebrated International Women’s Day by teaching its female members self-defense. This evening the Tel Aviv District Committee of The Israel Bar Association will try to top that:
Let us play a game called What Is The Name of The Tel-Aviv Bar Association’s Main Event On IWD 2008?

Is it:

  • “Equal Pay, Equal Rights – The Advancement of Women in Israel”
  • “Sexual Slavery and Human Trafficking In Israel”
  • “An Enriching and Amusing Lecture about Styling, Make-Up and Hair”

Whether you can read the following invitation in Hebrew or not – deep down you already know the answer:
[singlepic id=47 w=450 h=900 float=center]

International Women’s Day In The Knesset: Up Was Down, Black Was White, Good Was Bad, Day Was Night

What kind of a bizarro world do we live in when International Women’s Day is celebrated by the Israeli parliament by giving female Knesset members self-defense lessons?
Female MKs get self-defense lesson to celebrate 2008 International Women's Day
I am all for female empowerment but I have to wonder whether the legislative branch became so toothless that the message it wants to convey to the female citizens can be broken down to:

  • men are coming to harm you
  • the country cannot/would not defend you
  • better learn to scream ‘no!’ and prepare for a fight