The good, the bad and the UGLY

Consumer Voice

Dear Sirs /Madam,

As a responsible citizen, father of a teenage daughter and a professional in Advertising and PR (and as the Chairman of PRSI - Chennai) and on behalf of the members and office bearers of the Public Relations Society of India - Chennai Chapter I must bring to your notice and admonish this atrocious promotion campaign that's being carried on byLux for their Body Wash, in the name of Brand Identity and Promotion.

A 250 ml Lux Body wash bought by my wife at Vijaya Shoppe, Mylapore, Chennai on 6th May 2006 (Bill no 2006/C3/0c3989). The sales girl extended a desk calendar of Kareena with Lux BW.

The 12 pager illustrated calendar is branded  "**x 2006".  But the copy lines in the pages does leave no room at all for any doubt and project what it is cleverly and vulgarly purports to do.  It is a kind of Surrogate Promotion?? 

Just read on  - These are the lines in the Desk Calendar:

"**X Appeal.  If you got it, flaunt it"   
   "Now every girl can be a **X symbol" 
 "**X in the morning and night makes your skin glow"   
  "Once a girl has tried **X, she wants it every day"
 "It's never too early to start your **X education"     
  ""**X in the bathroom can be great fun" 
""**X appeal is a girls best weapon"   
   "A loofah is a great **X toy.  Goes where no man has gone before"
 "There is no such thing as too much **X"   
    "Girls are trying **X at a very young age"
 "Girls just can't do without **X"   
    "More and more girls are getting addicted to **X"

I wonder how Hindustan Lever team could have thought of such an ad and the Advertising Standard Council could let go of such cheap and vulgar promotion. Although we are in a developing and liberating environment such campaigns surely need to be banned and practitioners should be admonished.

Take a look at a sample of these pix - and you would have your blood turn red.   If you have a daughter or a sister you'd want to bash the creative guy! I draw the attention of credible organizations, professionals in marketing and advertising, journalists, young school and college students and girls,enlightened/empowered women and their organizations to do something to end this so called "sensuous campaign".   The distribution of these calendars should be banned with immediate effect.
Thanks.

 V S Ramana

Chairman - Public Relations Society of India - Chennai Chapter, Mob: 99401 98135

Thanks a lot for your letter Mr. Ramana. We understand your feelings very well and that’s what we have taken up as one of our goals- to fight against exploitation of women, which is more overt and blatant today than ever before. Depicting women as objects of sex is despicable and abhorrent. We request all readers to send in clippings of such ads and write-ups about real life incidents/experiences that show women in bad light- Ed.