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Subscribe to RSSThe Parents' Television Council is outraged over a Mercedes Benz Super Bowl ad featuring model Kate Upton that they say reinforces the notion of using sex appeal to get what you want. The video has attracted nearly 3 million views on YouTube in only two days.
A new Super Bowl commercial featuring supermodel Kate Upton washing a Mercedes Benz has critics complaining that the only clean part of the clip is the car.
The Parents Television Council, a watchdog group that opposes harmful and negative messages targeted to children, has criticized the spot for its objectification of women.
“It’s not the raciest ad that’s ever aired during the Super Bowl, but that doesn’t mean it is just harmless fun, either," Melissa Henson, PTC’s Director of Communications and Public Education, told TODAY.com in a statement. "This ad isn’t selling cars, it’s selling sexual objectification, and reinforcing for millions of wives, daughters and sisters across the country that you use your sex appeal to get what you want. If anything, this ad proves that we’ve regressed rather than progressed over the last several years. This is not an empowering message for women or girls. It doesn’t encourage respect, achievement, or any values beyond the purely superficial.”
A 90-second trailer for the commercial has already been viewed more than three million times on YouTube since being released on Tuesday. It starts with the message, "Kate Upton washes the new Mercedes CLA in slow motion," and features the 2012 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue cover girl blowing soap off her hands and posing as sultry music plays in the background. Three men in football jerseys and jeans are then shown slowly washing the car with their mouths agape at Upton. The clip ends with her inspecting their work and saying "you missed a spot,'' before walking away.
The commercial follows in the footsteps of other racy Super Bowl spots of the past, including several GoDaddy.com spots in recent years featuring NASCAR driver Danica Patrick.
NASCAR driver Danica Patrick has done several racy Super Bowl ads for Go Daddy in the past few years, including this one from last year's game.
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I wish I could quote the source of this; "Societies that suppress their children's sexuality are VIOLENT."
Ring any bells? Sex harmfull? Harmfull? Such thinking is as insane as a mass murderer.
I want her to have my baby.
And ruin that body??? No way, dude!
The BCS football game featured an ad for Texas Chainsaw 3D, the last shot of which featured a whimpering, terrified woman, her arms tied outstretched, her mouth wrapped in duct tape, and a masked man behind her, lowering a chainsaw to her shoulder, in obvious preparation for cutting off her arm. And yet as usual, Americans, Right & Left, continue to fear sex and embrace hollow concepts such as "objectification" while they embrace violence as their number one entertainment theme.
I agree -- I find the ad for Tx Chainsaw 3D much more offensive -- gratuitous violence is much more disturbing...
Why do some people have a problem with the FACT that human beings are sexual? Sex is NOT a crime. It is not dirty. It is not a perversion. It is our nature. Women, put away your narrow minded, prudish attitudes. A satisfied man is a faithful man, and faithfulness is good for relationships, and for families. Sex is NOT something to be ashamed of. Women, get over it. Have fun! Watch porn with your man, blow his mind, and keep him happy. Your relationship will soar. It's freedom!!!
all about women and their "lack" of power ?
this is how a typical male sees things:
Feminism was supposed to be some great equalizer;
but look here - women are still the whores they've always been, and Madison avenue, as well as those who happen to be still in possession of mammary glands ( modified sweat glands, actually) will always have this opinion that, despite the laws, will continue to exploit both women, as well as the chimps that think the women are there for your pleasure; they're not. They're there to sell idiots cars.
tools, really.
and we gave these succubi equal rights ?
biiiig mistake.
Wrap up an infant immediately and teach them forever more to be disturbed by the looks of our own bodies.
They always have to bring race into it.
I watched the video, when does the racy part kick in?
Did anyone catch what the add is selling? I need a couple of them.
Oh, I don't know....
How about we replace Kate Upton with someone else like Rosie O'Donnell or Susan Boyle. I wonder if the ad would have the same effect?
This is ad is totally tame in comparison to the godaddy commercials. Lighten up people there are a million ways to empower your daughter. Also she is pointing out that they missed a spot implying that she owns the car? WTF
Kate Upton is too Racy for all of us! ;)
Yeah, it's inappropriate. The GoDaddy commercials are inappropriate too. However, it's just as inappropriate as those damn erectile dysfunction and male enhancement commercials that saturate the TV channels. I don't hear any uproar about those ridiculous ads.
I'm thinking if something was so good or worked so well, you wouldn't have to try so hard to sell it.
I don't plan to watch it anyway.
I was expecting something actually racy. Not Kate Upton standing in one spot wearing a pair of not very revealing jean shorts and shirt. She didn't even wash the car in slow motion as promised. I suppose the real criticism was not anything about her in the video, it was the objectification of her by the football team that was actually watching the car. So..... men like pretty women, and women will sometimes use this fact to get men to do things for them. Not exactly news breaking.
It is what it is. It's a superbowl ad for crying out loud. What are the stats on what sex and age mostly watches the superbowl? Anyone freaking out about this ad should use it as a teaching opportunity. Open the dialogue moms and sit with your girls. This ad is about FANTASY, not reality, and men fantasize. Then remind them that daddy's a Chevy man anyway. I'm not saying I'm a huge fan of sexy ads, but as long as they are on the air parents should use them as talking tools. Funny how we don't hear men whining and cry babying about sexy ads aimed at women. Like yummy John Stamos selling yogurt, or those hot dudes on the liquid plummer commercial. Some battles are worth fighting, this one isn't.
Everybody knows that sex sells. So why all of a sudden these peeps get offended. What the fuuugh. I"m sorry to say. But our Ancient Aliens are saying we made some dumb azzzzzzz people. Everybody knows women have the power. Cuz the majority men are fools when it comes to beautiful women. Aya
this is racy? maybe in Iran. and I'm sure kids would never figure out how to appeal to the opposite sex if not for tv ads. these complaints are fueled more by jealousy than anything else.
3 million views in 2 days. I'd say it will be offensively good! Besides - in the summer you can see much more on the beaches here in Socal! It is probably too racy for most other parts of the country though. :)
Some day the people of the USA will drop their 17th century puritanical beliefs toward the "evils" of the human body and join the modern 21st century.
Not in my lifetime ... LoL
Why not televise some of the bikini clad babes at the Harley wash they hold at nearly every dealership in the country? THAT might be too intense for the super-whatever (we're legally not allowed to say "super bowl")