I try to keep this blog light and happy. It’s my MO to entertain and inform in a fun way. Every once in a while though, a bee gets under my bonnet and I just can’t. That’s how I feel today. A big part of my blog is accepting your body, empowering women, and being a good example to other women.
Needless to say, fast food is not a huge part of my diet. Yes, I love the occasional Wendy’s fry, or the oh-so-addictive Sonic tot. As a teen and young adult I was a vegetarian. Being a rather uninformed vegetarian, a big part of my diet was anything “bean” from Taco Bell. To this day, I still occasionally crave the spicy bean chalupa or bean burrito supreme.
Recently, Taco Bell has started to offer breakfasts as a part of their everyday menu. This is not what I take issue with, in fact, if they had an egg and cheese breakfast taco-I’d be thrilled. What I take issue with is the ad for their new “first meal”. In the ad, it starts out with a woman, dressed in club clothing, eye makeup smeared, falling out of a seemingly strange man’s bed, looking a bit alarmed and a bit ashamed, and then she is seen leaving a taco bell with her breakfast sandwich. It also stars a man, who fell asleep playing video games, waking up to say “I’m hungry” and heads to taco bell. All with the tagline of “no matter how you end your night, start your morning with first meal at Taco Bell.”
I find this sort of ad both degrading and incredibly sexist for many reasons. First, why is it necessary to portray a woman, in a demeaning, sexual manner, while the man is simply geeky? Second, why are we still shaming women for having sex when the man was obviously involved as well? Third, if you are trying to market this new product, why do so with an ad that will only bring controversy? Some times, not all press is good press.
I implore Taco Bell to take down this ad. I ask them to stop airing it. We as consumers, and as women deserve better than the way we’re treated in this ad.
You said it! So glad you are pointing out the ongoing sexism in ads and assumptions companies perpetuate. Awareness is the first step to change.
Thanks, Kymberly.
Hmmm… I’d love to spend so much time breaking this ad down in one of my Politics of Sexuality classes from college.
Questions: Would it have been any different if you’d seen a man sneaking out of a woman’s bed? I get the feeling folks would’ve been just as annoyed with that, so maybe they should’ve just steered clear of the “walk of shame” innuendo, regardless.
Also, how else could they have had a female that would’ve fit the commercial better, do you think? I bet they could’ve just had a group of girlfriends waking up, still rocking the makeup and “club attire” at someone’s apartment and strolling over together. I’ve done THAT a lot more than sneaking out of a sexual partner’s bed.
exactly- or a mother, who has been up all night with a baby and is f-ing hungry and just wants a damn egg sandwich.
Actually, I find this VERY representive of our culture. When I was a young guy going out on weekends and hangin’ with the party crowd, I couldnt help but notice that it was VERY common for a woman to slink away from her latest saturday night alcohol induced sleepover with a guy (Then talk about what a huge mistake it was and then repeat the same mistake the next weekend). Why shouldnt she indulge in some greasy, high fat “comfort” food while she waits for her friends to wake up so she can call them and tell them about her new man.
Taco Bell is just trying to assure those same drunk people that indulge in “4th meal” when they leave the bar that they have a new menu option for when they wake up all hungover and feeling like a turd. And for that I applaud them. What I DO find offensive is they way they portray the video game junkie. I seriously doubt he would have the energy to do anything more than smell his armpits and decide he’s too stinky to go out. Gamers are crafty and ALWAYS think ahead. Thats why they always order more tacos than they can eat the night before. They simply put em in the fridge for the next morning. And what happens if hes at a friends house? Hes already got it covered. In case of an emergency theres always stale pizza pushed under the couch.
but why is it ok to perpetuate this? and why should the woman be ashamed and not the man? because he has a dick and isn’t “entered or violated?” And however crafty a gamer might be, it’s not fair that there is no equivalent to what they show the woman doing. Moreover, who is to say the man didn’t take advantage of her drunken state and shouldn’t be portrayed as a date rapist? Would he want the greasy breakfast before going back and telling his friends how he violated a woman? Because that would never happen. The standard we hold is that it was 100% consensual, and despite her drunken state, she is the only one who should be ashamed. I know for a fact that you if this were your daughter, you wouldn’t want her portrayed that way.
I agree that its not a lifestyle or image that should be perpetuated, but that isnt the intent of this ad. Instead of feeling angry that Taco Bell is only portraying a parody of a realistic situation among young people, whom is their target customer (and trying to be humorous waking the guy up with the loud “GONG”) you totally miss the representation.
And even though it may be in poor taste and will probably offend more people than urge them to try “first meal”, I doubt they will pull the ad because you think the woman is a victim or being unfairly represented. (or not balanced by an equally ashamed man or guilt ridden gamer)
You seem very quick to be an activist for womens rights but you totally ignore the fact that its the MAN in this video who is the victim. He wakes up to find the woman whom he trusted enough to bring home sneaking out on him. If he was just planning on a one night stand he wouldve taken her to a motel or friends house and found a way to get rid of her long before falling asleep. And what makes you think he had to “convince” her to sleep with him. Is it because all men are unremorseful liars (or rapists) and all women are stupid (and therefore victimized)? Her running out on him and looking all ashamed makes her despicable, not weak. The look on her face just screams that he was a HUGE mistake and she really feels bad for sleeping with him. Why did she sleep with him in the first place if she wasnt going to stick around? How do you think that makes HIM feel.
And the idea that a short while later, breakfast burrito in hand, walking tall and being her strong, proud self again, she has forgotten all about her night time debauchery. That is what is really appalling. And if this were my daughter I would be completely ashamed (and not want the public to know that woman can be just as predatory as men.)
I also want to add that there is an extreme amount of sexism in advertising and I dont condone it. When was the last time an advertisement portrayed a man as a hard -working, loving husband and a father? Instead men are portrayed as selfish children intent on buying “man-toys” or defiantly acting like a child because their wife wants them to perform some household chore.
The most repetitive sterotype against men is the overwieght guy on the couch watching TV while ignoring his wife and children until the advertised product (usually food) gets him involved in family life.
And how about that Ad with the guy that cant stop looking at football streaming on his phone long enough to have a serious discussion over dinner with his wife?
This sort of thing has been going on for a long time in advertising. Long enough to make people numb to the sexist and sterotyping that they forget all about it until an ad just hits a nerve enough that they notice.
Thats exactly what taco bell has done with this one.
When it comes to sex, especially this sort of sex, men come from a perceived position of power. The women are more often cajoled, coerced to go home with a man. Sex shouldn’t be something that should be shameful or something for people to be ashamed of, but women are often made to feel that we should be, whereas men are applauded for spreading their seed.
As for men being victim to stereotypes, it’s true that it happens, but for the simple fact that women STILL make less than men in the majority of fields, that we are STILL often viewed as less competent in certain arenas, and that when it comes to women, the main powerplay advertisers use, the one they always come back to, is our sexuality. It’s as though we can’t be viewed as anything else but what we do or can do in the bedroom. The casting couch, the wife luring her husband to go shopping with the promise of sex, etc. etc. etc. It happens over and over again where we’re reduced to objects.
I so agree, this is ridiculous! Ads can be so awful.
they absolutely can.
you nailed it with the rebuking of the notion NO PRESS IS BAD PRESS.
sometimes it is just bad.press.
I am just…. I am totally blown away by this. I seriously have no words.
bahahahahahaha
they said fluffity
*rolls over laughing*
and regarding your argument 1. i’m totally with ya! and 2. i have a not-for-blog-land story for you. =) love ya!
oooh we shall talk later!!
I hadn’t seen this prior to you posting it. It makes me cringe a million times over that they are showing the women in her clothes from the night before. WTF!
The last thing this country needs is Taco Bell for breakfast.
Wow. I’m sorry, it’s 2012? Amazes me. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
I honestly have nothing to add to what you said. Well put. Not having cable, I hadn’t seen this ad until now but you can bet I would’ve been outraged (I am now after watching it) too. It amazes me how some marketing things actually make it to press. How can so many high level, big paid people think this is ok and the “best” option? blows my mind.
I love you and your women empowering comments and my feminist self is cheering for your arguments that I perused in the comment section.
I am Gina’s daughter and Liz’s niece, that’s for sure.