Monday, October 10, 2011

Dr. Pepper Ten is more sexist than regular Dr. Pepper

Oh, what the FUCK, you guys.



Honestly, how much sillier would this commercial have to be before you would just think it was a spoof? Maybe five percent?

[Action film stuff is happening. Big tough army guy is running through the jungle.]
Tough Guy: "Hey, ladies. Enjoying the film? Of course not!"


Of course not! Women don't like action movies, or so goes the stereotype. And this commercial does nothing if not ridiculously pander to stereotypes.

Tough Guy: "Because this is our movie!"

Here we go again.

In a time where ABC's fall comedy lineup includes not one but TWO sitcoms premised entirely around the idea that the "male identity" is under some kind of confusing external threat, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by ads like this. And yet I am, every single time. Because in the world I live in - rather than the one depicted in TV commercials - you can be a man and have no interest in muscle cars. You can be a woman and enjoy watching action movies. And, for fuck's sake, you can be a man and pick up a can of soda that says "Diet" on it without recoiling like it was an erect penis. (Because no homo, you guys, seriously.)

Tough Guy: "And Dr. Pepper Ten is our soda!"

No, I guess you can't. "Hey, I know Diet Dr. Pepper tastes more like regular Dr. Pepper, but fuck THAT shit. Diets are for women."

Tough Guy: "It's only ten manly calories, but with all 23 flavors of Dr. Pepper."

Diet Dr. Pepper also has those flavors. It's a key part of your advertisements for that product. So the difference between men and women isn't taste - no, it's TEN CALORIES. High fructose corn syrup - which is the sugar component in Dr. Pepper Ten - is four calories a gram (as carbohydrates are). So the difference between the manliest soda alive and a diet drink that's just for GIRLS is a big two and a half grams of sugar.

Wait a second... two and a half grams... Two and a Half Men... are you guys thinking what I'm thinking here? Cross-promotion! The original manly men's sitcom (it's right in the theme song!) and the new manly men's soda.

Tough Guy: "It's what guys want!"

Yeah, aren't you always hanging out with your bros, and then one of them starts complaining that there's only Dr. Pepper and Diet Dr. Pepper in the cooler, and that as a MAN who is totally super MANLY but is ALSO concerned about his calorie intake, what he wants is the incredibly masculine taste of Dr. Pepper Ten? And then you pointed out that he was the one who brought the cooler full of nothing but Dr. Pepper in the first place, and that you all know that he's Dr. Pepper's brand manager and could he please just talk about something else for two goddamn minutes.

Tough Guy: "Like this!"
[throws can, springs trap on pursuing motorcyclists]
Tough Guy: "Catchphrase!"


By the way, Dr. Pepper, don't think it's not obvious how much of this ad was clearly ripped from those Old Spice commercials everyone liked.

Tough Guy: "So you can keep the romantic comedies and lady drinks. We're good."

Diet Dr. Pepper: lady drink. Do not ever purchase this product again, people with a Y chromosome, or Dr. Pepper executives will be waiting at the checkout to call you a fag.

Tough Guy: "Dr. Pepper Ten: It's not for women!"

Hear that, more than half of the US population? Don't even THINK about buying our product! We are marketing exclusively to tough guys who are worried about their weight and also totally insecure about their masculinity and who ALSO love Dr. Pepper and refuse to drink anything else. So to Steve Johnson of Seattle, Washington and Bill Smith of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: there's finally a soda for you! Get to the store right now and pick up some Dr. Pepper Ten, before this ridiculously clumsy sales pitch ensures it vanishes from shelves forever!

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

You do understand the more you bitch about it the more hype is built and the more effective this campaign is right? It works in three ways, one intelligent people can tell it's a joke, two dumb people find it funny and three dumb people trying to be intelligent call it sexist getting it free buzz.

Windier E. Megatons said...

Wow, two hacky canards in one! Good work, Anonymous. Do me a favor and ask Netflix how true it is that getting people up in arms about your brand can only be positive.

Steve Johnson (Seattle, WA) said...

I do like Dr. Pepper Ten a lot!

Anonymous said...

um.. i think it's sexist and offensive, but my IQ is 140. that is above average. you are the stupid one, because you actually think an ad like this is funny. [even if it wasn't offensive, it still wouldn't really be that funny]

Anonymous said...

I am a woman and find this doctor pepper commercial offensive. I don't drink diet sodas. I happen to love doctor pepper but not this new 10 calorie soda. The ten calories apparently make it a manly soda so that men don't have to cower at drinking a diet soda. My dad drinks diet sodas and I don't think thatmakes him any less of a man. Just like my drinking of normal sugar soda doesn't make me any less of a woman. I would appreciate it if doctor pepper stopped this commercial.

Anonymous said...

ya know i could call u sexist Bas**rds but id rather insult you by saying a proven fact. Men that only try to insult and harm wemon are two wimpy to insult men same as why not all police but some that are bad like to ticket wemon not men cuase there two feken chicken to face up to a man!

Anonymous said...

This is funny to me (not the vid, the blog). Men are subliminally and blatantly ridiculed in commercials all the time. The woman makes the man look like the idiot and then she becomes the hero of the situation (making an example, not complaining, I find it rather humorous on occasion). I find it offensive when this happens but I'm not gonna parade all over the internet boycotting the product just because it stabbed my sex in the back. Where is all of your sense of humor?

Anonymous said...

@5:19: ...Was that English?

VikkiBones said...

www.ontheissuesmagazine.com/2011winter/2011_winter_Douglas.php

Anonymous said...

I'm a guy and I find that Dr. Pepper 10 ad absolutely offensive! I also find shampoo and make-up ads really sexist. I want silky smooth hair and beautiful lashes TOO! I don't know about you, but if I don't find something to whine about on a daily basis I don't know what I'd do. I guess I could invest my energy in something else, like obtaining a sense of humor. Nope, that could possibly inject some joy into my 'take everything seriously' lifestyle.

Hugs and kisses!

Anonymous said...

I am a women and I really like Dr Pepper 10. My boyfriend and I buy a case of it every chance we get. As for the commercial, its cheesy and I really don't care for ending catch phrase, made for men not for women. I am personally offended. The person that obviously thought up the slogan must be a man.

Anonymous said...

@The Anon 2 posts above me: I'd rather be a loveable and idiotic goof than be told "YOU CAN'T DO THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE A WOMAN!"

Anonymous said...

Hey Dr. Pepper. If your product was any good, then you wouldn't need sexism to sell it.

Anonymous said...

There's a reason there aren't many female comedians in the world. It's because you have no sense of humor. That's not sexist. It's just a fact. You're angry about a soda commercial. Think about that for a second. A SODA COMMERCIAL. Grow up, ladies. The vast majority of commercials, sitcoms, etc. portray men as bumbling idiots and you don't see us complaining. Why? Because we don't overreact and take everything personally. This commercial wasn't even making fun of women. It's pure satire aimed at men's general avoidance of any and all things "diet." That's a stereotype of men, but I'm not about to get all hot and bothered because of it.

Anonymous said...

actually 10:16, that is sexist. saying the reason female comedians are rare because females don't have a sense of humor is really sexist. this ad not very well crafted seeing how it only appeals to men which is less than 50 percent of U.S citizens. if you are so unbothered, y are u even commenting on an article whose main and only point is to make fun of said article?

Anonymous said...

It is absolutely sexist. It is not funny. It is not tongue -in -cheek. It is not trivial. There is no difference between advertising this as "not for women" and advertising it as "not for black/white/Native American/Asian/Hispanic/disabled/gay/straight/Muslim/Christian/Atheist, etc. etc. etc. people" This ad campaign is misogynistic. It is wrong. It needs to be stopped.

Anonymous said...

(In regards to this entire discussion...)

Facepalm...

Anonymous said...

this is not about the commercial. it goes beyond that. the media influences society. and sexist media promotes the ongoing sexism in our society. sexism leads to violence against women in the workplace, in their homes, and in the streets. it is not okay for someone to make money at the expense of men or women. this ad is not just sexist towards women. it is equally if not more sexist towards men. it leaves the impression that men should be tough, should like action movies, should ride in tough cars, should not like diet drinks or romantic comedies. these ideas are extremely damaging to men who do not fit that description.
we are not "hot and bothered" about the commercial...we are PISSED off at the sexism that is allowed and even encouraged in the defense of making money and being humorous.

Anonymous said...

Haha true that

Anonymous said...

Anon March 25, 2012 9:34 AM,
I agree. People think we're just sitting around flapping our vagoos with rage, when we're genuinely pissed that this shit is still allowed; I'm pissed for the men, too. Men shouldn't have to feel forced to be action heroes and other dumb crap like that.