Dear Clorox

To Whom it May Concern at the Clorox Company:

Over the past few months, while watching my favorite shows on TV, I have seen your newest commercial featuring the video montage of people doing laundry.  I'm writing today in reference to that commercial.

When it first starts, you see people doing laundry - there's kind of a "living history" aspect to it that I really like - not to mention that it's kind of speedy and artful, the way the various laundry facilities change from one to another.  I have to admit, I feel this was very well done.

However, about halfway through, while the woman doing the voiceover is talking about how my mother did laundry, and my mother's mother, and so on and so on, I start to get really pissed off.  You see, hearing that woman say, in her snobby voice "even a man or two" - in reference to doing laundry - is downright offensive.  I do my laundry every week - I can think of plenty of my friends who are guys who do laundry, or relatives, or whatever.  Hell, I can even imagine, that someday, in some distant time, some man riding his horse took off his boots and washed his clothes in a freakin' river because there was no on there to do it for him.

Not only is your commercial offensive to men who do their own housework (not to mention cook their own meals and make sure they get out of bed in the morning), I think it's kind of offensive to women.  When I replay your commercial - the underpinning message I hear is "Women have always done laundry - women will always be the ones doing laundry - pull out your ironing boards because this will be your life, your daughter's life, and on and on". 

In closing, in a modern household, everyone's expected to do their own share to keep the house running. Listen - I have this crazy idea - it's called gender equality, and let's all do our part to not base the entire human experience on something that "only women do" or "only men can do".  Heck, I'm a male knitter - take that.

Good luck with your new advertising campaign.

best,

michael

Comments

[Jack]

It seems that this "gender identity" garbage is prevalent in advertising. I can think of 5 or 6 examples running in either direction (women are to dumb/weak/whatever to do a "man's" job, and men are incapable of doing housework/cleaning/laundry/dishes/etc). The ads always tick me off too, but the ones that make me angry enough to yell at the TV/radio are the ones where one partner is hiding purchases/credit cards/etc from the other.

Advertisers really need to think about their responsibility to the general public and be completely aware of what it is that they are saying to the public (and the amount of influence they have on children and impressionable young people).

[TJ]

Well said! I saw that commercial with my kids. They both started laughing hysterically when they saw the parade of women dutifully doing the laundry -- it was funny to them because they've never actually seen me do the laundry. My husband does it, and he has for our entire 18 year marriage. I hate to do it [though I know how], and he doesn't mind, so there lies our division of labor. It's how we divide up all of our jobs, including the kids' chores. Three cheers for gender equality!

[Isis]

Here, here! In my household growing up, it was my father who did the laundry. And for a while, my husband did the laundry and I mowed the grass. I get so frustrated by the TV tendency to make ALL housework (and all cooking, for that matter) women's work, which both generates false expectations and denigrates men who launder. So well said!

[Jan]

It is called sexism on both sides and we should keep fighting against it

[David]

It's just another example of the rampant stupidity and narrow mindedness that is parading itself as American culture. The sad part is, America just eats that shit up with a spoon. I love it when women at work say "i have three kids: one is 5 one is 3 and the other one is 34." ha ha plus ca change.

[David]

I forgot one thing.

Bitter, party of one.

[Charissa]

I'd just like to say, "Preach it." I was thinking the same thing when I saw the commercial.

And, sorry for this, but I must tag people. So "Tag." Details on my blog.

[Teresa C]

I thought exactly the same thing! And I am a woman. And my husband does his own laundry, as do all of my three daughters. I was sort of offended myself.

[Leticia]

B-R-A-V-O !!!!!!

[Dave]

Long time no post ... everything ok?

[Barbara]

I love the clorox letter - brilliant! I have never seen that commercial but will look for it!

[Dave Daniels]

Helllllooooooo? [tap tap tap] Is this thing on? [tap tap tap] Can you hear me now?