Not sure how I feel

I read in the Los Angeles Times the other day about a new ad campaign promoting Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  MSNBC picked up the story, which included a clip of the ad "Save the Boobs" from the non-profit Rethink Breast Cancer. 

The spot looks more like a beer ad than one for a disease that's the leading killer of women 25 - 49.  It features a woman with large breasts almost popping out of her bikini top, while every man

she passes stares, slack-jawed, at her chest.  Stripper music plays in the background.

Dan Neil's L.A. Times story is headlined "Breast cancer ads use lechery for good."

I'm not so sure.  It's still lechery.  It's still more of objectifying women's bodies.  It also reinforces the thinking that, when it comes to women's breasts, bigger and bouncier is better.  How does that make women with smaller breasts feel?

I understand, of course, the intent of this ad.  Get attention.  Get people talking.  It looks like that's worked (evidence: this post, the L.A. Times and MSNBC stories and others). 

I'm just not sure if this was the way to do it. Ads on serious subjects can use humor to get attention and recall.   Coincidentally, I saw another ad on breast cancer awareness (it's part of the MSNBC clip linked above) that had closeups of women with their hands on or under their chests, pledging allegiance to fight breast cancer.  Each woman referred to her breasts using a different slang expression -- my hooters, boobies, tatas, my girls, chi-chi's (never heard of that one), etc.  But they weren't in tiny bikinis; they were wearing street clothes.  And they were women of all sizes; not just the Barbie stereotype 36 double-Ds.

From what I've seen online so far, I may be in the minority here. 

The "Save the Boobs" ad is drawing positive comments from ad critics and from readers.  But I just wonder if the same message to younger women and the men who love them -- that breast cancer strikes young women too -- couldn't have been communicated in a way that doesn't reinforce the objectifying and demeaning of women.Maybe it's just me -- I'll admit it.

Your thoughts?

Comments

[Dina]

I looked at the ad and I agree. It's funny (sort of) but continues the Barbie stereotype.

[Allison Hunt]

Someone tweeted about this. It is getting attention to the cause, but at a price. I think the ad is degrading to women.

[Karen Russell]

from Twitter...
I have mixed feelings -- raising awareness, money etc. is good, but if it were for another cause or product I would be offended, right?

[Alan Hirsch]

David, it appears you don't understand the purpose of women's breasts. Women do though and that is why they pay so much attention to them. And they will do almost anything to get you to look at them, so they can say "what are you looking at?" Do you think the boob ads by Victoria's Secret are for men to google?

You are mistaken when you say it is lechery for a man to stare at women's breasts. When a man stares, he is only doing what the woman set out for him to do. and that is to captivate him with a beautiful pair.

That is why women spend fortunes to make their breasts look better, or bigger and bouncier as you might say. They do it through surgery, through keeping several buttons unbuttoned, through using garments that one could say augment their size. You show me a normal women who isn't fascinated by their own breasts when they realize the power they invoke for the woman.

Do you think the beautiful breasted women who work at Hooter's or dance for the Dallas Cowboys, or work as lawyers, doctors, accountants, or teachers actually want you to ignore their beautiful breasts? Ignore them and you better be prepared to defend yourself against criticism concerning your personal health.

So please stop the posturing and your concern about lechery. Women are beautiful creatures who know how to get you to look at them, which is their main purpose in life. Their beautiful breasts are their credentials to get you to sign up for dates, marriage, a trip to Spain, starting a family, going to the beach and on and on. They have it; they flaunt it; you fall for it. They win. Men don't have anything as powerful as beautiful breasts. And even if you don't know it, all women know it and that is why they are called "women." And that is why they always look in mirrors, always comb or dry their hair and always spend two or three hours a day figuring out how to make their own breasts even more beautiful to look at. And that's a fact.

[David Reich.]

Alan: yes, but.... well, you do have a point.