How politically incorrect can an ad really be? How is this Bloomingdale’s ad published in 2015 so insensitive to the topics of sexual assault? Every time I look at this ad it honestly gets worse. There are really three main aspects of the ad that emphasize the fact that it is referencing attempted sexual assault. The colors chosen, text fonts and expressions of the models emphasize the undesirable message of the ad.
Bloomingdale uses a white background to make the characters stand out in comparison to the background, especially the male who is dressed in a black blazer. White is a symbol of purity so the woman who is featured wearing white is likely supposed to symbolize innocence and purity. The man however appears wearing black, which could symbolize guilt and strength.
The colors of the clothing appearing in this advertisement is relevant because women are the most common victims of sexual assault and this ad highlights the women as a target by the colors that are used. Unfortunately according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) one of six women in the United States experience instances of sexual assault in their life time so this problem is extremely prevalent to all women living in the United States.
The text used in the ad also makes the phrase “best friend” extra bold compared to the other words. Bloomingdales likely did this to emphasize the idea that their clothing could make someone who already knows you look at you in a different way. This increases the connection of this ad to sexual assaults because according to RAINN in 8 out of 10 sexual assaults the victim knows the perpetrator before the assault.
The expressions of the models in this ad were also used to try and make it a persuasive ad. The girl appears almost in a bliss, worry free, and happy. This is apparent by her stance and the way she is turned away, smiling, not paying attention to the man next to her. The man however appears to be staring longingly at the women in the ad with a more cynical expression on his face. Viewers notice this by the sideways glance and frown that the man is exhibiting. These expressions present the women as vulnerable to the possibility that someone could “spike” her eggnog.
Movements to increase the awareness of “rape culture” and the high levels of sexual assault have become more and more prevalent through out the 21st century. Further steps need to be made so that no one ever thinks that an ad like this is acceptable to publish by any standards.
Sources
“Perpetrators of Sexual Violence: Statistics.” RAINN, Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, www.rainn.org/statistics/perpetrators-sexual-violence.
“Victims of Sexual Violence: Statistics.” RAINN, Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence.