Jack in the Box commercial about menopause--funny or offensive, or a little of both?
I was watching TV the other day and saw an ad for Jack in the Box that stars a menopausal woman and Jack. I have to say, I don't think I've ever seen an ad for a fast food restaurant that stars a woman in menopause.
If you want to view it, go to www.jackinthebox.com and then click on "commercials" on the left and it should be the ad on the far left. You can see the lady in her pink dress.
Frankly, I wasn't sure whether I liked it or not. I thought they were making fun of menopausal women. My take was that menopausal women are not taken seriously because we're just hysterical. But it's no laughing matter as I know first hand that very few people take us seriously and that it's a real problem for lots of women.
This may be because I've lived it and seen and heard too many women who are silently suffering that it's hard for me to find the humor in it. But it goes to show you how many women are menopausal when Jack in the Box dedicates a commercial to it.
Then again, I have a dear friend who saw it and thought it was really funny. But she's a bit younger and hasn't hit menopause yet so maybe that's the difference.
I'd love it if you'd follow the link and watch the ad and then post your thoughts below. Is it funny to you, or offensive, or somewhere in between? Michelle
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When I read this, I thought about the Carl's Jr. commercial a few years ago with Jessica Simpson - however, that commercial objectified women while this ad seems lighthearted and not at all offensive.
This was clearly a satirical piece. Satire, by definition, is characterized by drawing attention to stereotypes, assumptions, and irrational presumptions, by making them so enormous that they can't be ignored, and so that their absurdity is made clear.
A satirical commercial that draws attention to the stereotype of the "street-rat crazy" menopausal woman is not insulting women, menopausal or otherwise. Quite the OPPOSITE, it is drawing that stereotype out into the open and magnifying it to its absurd outward limit, in order to point out how preposterous it is, and using that as a source of humor. "Look at this ridiculous stereotype," satire says, "look at how absurd it is. Now laugh at it, take away its power, see it for the farce that it is."
I am still astonished at how many people choose to take offense at satire, rather than observe the commentary it is providing, and partake in the healthy laughter at something so preposterous.
Becoming offended only reinforces the stereotype one dislikes. Laughing at a satire of that stereotype revokes its validity, and contributes to its dissolution.
One, people need to put their tongue in their cheeks when watching this commercial. My mother, who is 62 and went through her bout of menopause, thought the commercial was absolutely hysterical. I was rolling for minutes after.
Two, the fact that we're talking about the commercial here in a format that isn't mainstream TV... heh, the commercial has done it's job, people. Advertising is about two things, catching a person's attention and making them remember the product. It's managed to do both. Can we leave it at just that?
I found this commercial very offensive, not because of the characterization of a menopausal woman but the alternative. To me, the commercial is saying thank god we cooled off this menopausal woman, now she can go back to what she is supposed to be doing. Use satire as much as you want, but their alternative to 'crazy' is the ideal 50s housewife.
It feels like a return to stepford.
Why is it that if we make fun of other health issues, we are insensitive but making fun of menopausal women is supposed to be funny? I find the commercial offensive and so does my husband. Make fun of men with enlarged prostate next time Jack!