You answer.

FLP wants to know if these ads are “Mocking sexism or mocking feminism?”

The text translates to “no women were exploited in the making of this ad.”

I wasn’t 100% sure this was an actual advertisement as opposed to a French PSA until I saw the next one.

Now that I understand we’re talking about shoes, I’m ready with my answer.

Both.

Oh right, professors always want justification. Damn.  Well on the strength of the first ad, I could reasonably see it doubling as a feminist protest against the objectification of the female body in advertisements. Granted I have low familiarity with French media, but I can’t think of any time I’ve seen a man coyly avoiding the XXX rating with a bent knee.  That ad says they are conscious of degrading women merely to sell products. They have  social conscience and – most importantly in a corporate entity – are willing to try something new and see if it works.  I have no interest in the shoes highlighted, but I am suddenly interested in the brand.  As a feminist, that ad works for me.

But the second ad, obviously part of a larger marketing theme makes me lean the other way. Rather than taking the ruling class and subjecting it to the same treatment, they go with sexualizing animals (creepy? anyone?).  Now if the ad had said “no animals…” I would have gone with it as a vegan shoes campaign (and I’d have been wicked amazed, those boots are not the godugly vegan foot attire I’ve grown accustomed to).  But this is merely mocking feminist complaints about advertising by making them ridiculous.  Oh ho ho ho the bird is wearing the shoes because women complain all the time about it! Isn’t that just hys-ter-i-fucking-cal?

I think the marketing department for this company is staffed with one or more goddamned geniuses.  Because really, the ad you’ll remember the most is the one you really like.  The feminists or feminist-sympathizers, will see the first ad and be intrigued/impressed that a company is willing to make a statement like that.  The peons of the patriarchy who rant that ‘not everything is a feminist statement’** will see this is a clever marketing ploy, an inside joke.  Look at us, we can make those whiny womenz happy while showing them how ridiculous they are! And it’s not like anyone cares what happens to birds!

I’m equal parts irritated, amused and impressed. I would be absolutely fascinated to see some data on public response to these ads. Sadly, my French is abysmal, so in the unlikely event that such data exists, I’ll never find it.  The sociologist in me is crying for numbers and interviews and polls…..

**Yes, by the way, it is.  It may not be intended as a feminist statement, but as long as we live in a society that degrades and demeans any individual not fitting the approved dominant norm (i.e. women, minorities and lower class) everything is a statement about how mainstream society views and treats them.  People refuse to accept that because it is easier to think sexism/racism/classism only exist in certain contexts.  It is so much easier to support equal pay for women when you don’t have to think about how their lack of representation in lead roles in films is merely a symptom of how a consumer-driven industry refuses to accept that a woman’s voice is marketable. And I could go on, but those of you who actually need to hear it have already stopped reading…..