Sexist advertisement draws public ire

AMMAN — An advertisement posted on a bus has drawn negative reactions from social media users and civil society organisations.

Social media was buzzing with reactions Sunday night due to the “offensive” advertisement that was spotted on the back of a bus in Jordan.

The advert claimed that “if housewives use the food product advertised their husbands will not divorce them”. 

“The advertisement must be removed immediately and those responsible for the ad should be held accountable for violating legislation,” Solidarity Is Global Institute (SIGI) said in a statement sent to The Jordan Times.

The statement from the women’s organisation added that “the advertisement offends the marriage system and violates family values and ties, it also threatens families’ stability, moreover, it clearly disrespects family relationships and community values that call for strengthening the status of men and women inside and outside the family”.

“Women usually appear to be under the control of men,” the statement added.

The statement added that the advertisement promotes a male peer culture that encourages hostility and disrespect towards women, which is known to be one of the underlying causes of violence against them.

“We did not intend to offend anyone, we respect and appreciate women,” Ahmad Saleh, the food company’s spokesperson, told The Jordan Times.

Saleh added that women, whether they be mothers, sisters or wives, are “wholeheartedly” respected, and “we wanted to come up with creative marketing material without offending or displeasing anyone”.  

“We did not see this reaction coming,” Saleh added. 

Saleh stated that due to several complaints, the controversial sentence will be removed by Tuesday morning, and will be replaced with another phrase. 

“I’m shocked and disappointed about the advertisement”, Baian Odeh, an advertising specialist, told The Jordan Times.

She added that the post contained “offensive” material for all women. 

“It is not the first ad that showcases women as servants and the ad clearly diminishes the role of women in society as well as the way they are perceived,” she added.

“Commercial advertising platforms have wide latitude to reject advertisements because of taste and appropriateness concerns,” Odeh noted. 

Although it is “unethical and unacceptable, some companies use this approach to get exposure and reactions from the public, it is called the negative marketing approach”, she added.

“Although there is legislation and policies in Jordan governing advertising, it does not clearly include gender sensitivity,” the SIGI statement said.