On Clorox and Not-so Subliminal Advertising
There I was, minding my own business, doing Pilates while watching All My Children (several friends have been on AMC through the years, so I’ve always tuned in to support and laugh at them. And I used to live near Susan Lucci and see her often and may I just say she makes me look fat.). And the following commercial comes on:
Two children are whispering. We hear one say: "I eat food off the floor."
Two other children whisper and we hear: "I play with my poops in the toilet." (Do they really do that, by the way? I was a nanny for years and I never saw anything like that. And mom, if I did that, now’s your chance for payback.)
Cut to two children on a hill playing with a baby pig.
No dialogue.
Another two children: "I don’t wash my hands."
The announcer then says: "Kids pass around more than germs . . . When their world is cleaner, their lives are healthier."
Let me get this straight: Playing with a piglet is on par with playing with poop? And pigs equal filth and germs (and more than germs, apparently). It’s gross to touch live ones, yet it’s fine to eat dead ones? Pigs are the personification of "dirty?"
Why weren’t the kids playing with a puppy or a kitten? Why a pig? To add to the list of things they do that are yucky and unhealthy. Advertising companies do nothing accidentally. That pig was there in lieu of dialogue, to send the message: filth.
Thank heavens we have those Clorox disinfecting wipes.
When are we going to stop vilifying pigs?
Sure, some ad agency was responsible for this commercial, but we can let Clorox know that perpetuating stereotypes of nonhuman animals, and conditioning children and their parents to associate pigs with germs, doesn’t help sell wipes (although I’m sure it helps with developing speciesism).
I know this isn’t global warming I’m talking about. But I think part of our activism should be to stop people in their tracks (and register our malcontent with corporations) every time something is said or alluded to that perpetuates negative stereotypes or is otherwise misleading or downright incorrect.
But that’s me.
As usual, great commentary. Coincidentally, since you write on vilification of pigs, that is the main reason why I chose a drawing of a pig as my blog (and website)'s "mascot". Apart from trying to send a message that animals who matter are not just cats and dogs, I specifically chose a pig to send a subliminal positive message that pigs are not the "filth" speciesists portray them as being.
If you haven't read it already, I think this blog entry will interest you: http://animalrightsmalta.blogspot.com/2007/04/on-manufactured-pigs-subsidies-hunter.html
Great commentary. I agree.
Clearly, you haven't seen Trojan's new commercial. Boils my blood every time it airs. Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab8X-I-cXEo&mode=related&search=
Here's a little commentary on the commercial:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/18/business/media/18adcol.html
I wish I knew why pigs are thought of that way… assuming the people who produce commercials think anywhere beyond $$$.
Sheesh.
Thanks for all your hard work, Mary.
Best,
Beth
I'm not sure what's more disconcerting, Beth, the commercial with the pigs or the fact that the networks don't want messages that condoms prevent pregnancy (re: the NYT article).
If pigs are so hideous and undesirable and filthy, I wonder why some people are so excited to eat them?
I like your blog entry, Kenneth. The same thing happens in the US with government subsidies. Ranchers and animal farmers get huge subsidies, while so many more worthy, non-violent, and needy causes go without. Just allowing a cow to graze on your land for a short period of time can get you a subsidy.
It's sad so many people revile pigs. I think part of this comes from the Old Testament, where they're described as one of many "unclean" animals. There doesn't seem to be a solid explanation for why some animals were considered clean (and ok to eat), while others weren't. But pigs seem to be most reviled.
Christ supposedly chose them to host the many devils he exorcised from humans, which caused them to run off a cliff to their deaths. (I don't believe any of this, as I'm not religious.) Christian association with pagan societies probably led to relaxing the prohibition. And maybe the rest of the bad rap comes from good ol' animal farmers, and the threat of trichinosis when pig flesh is not cooked thoroughly.
Wherever it comes from, poor pigs!
You are right on this one, Mary.
Kids today are very much detached from the earth and survival. When I visited my family in rural Texas, I helped with the birthing of pigs, as did my cousins. It was fun romping around with the baby pigs and scratching the backs of the older ones… they loved it. When we were done with the pigs, we would wash of course….just like everyone washes hands before dinner.
These pigs were also free to roam….my uncle even developed a fenced "pig run" that wrapped around the tree lined farm yard to their food trough… so they would have to exercise to get to the food. He also installed a mist system to keep them cool on hot days.
You are right on this one, Mary.
Kids today are very much detached from the earth and survival. When I visited my family in rural Texas, I helped with the birthing of pigs, as did my cousins. It was fun romping around with the baby pigs and scratching the backs of the older ones… they loved it. When we were done with the pigs, we would wash of course….just like everyone washes hands before dinner.
These pigs were also free to roam….my uncle even developed a fenced "pig run" that wrapped around the tree lined farm yard to their food trough… so they would have to exercise to get to the food. He also installed a mist system to keep them cool on hot days.
No offense, meat eater, but I don't think you're going to impress ethical vegetarians with free-range pigs, or by having fun with them before you kill them.
Another point being that dirtier kids are, in fact, generally healthier kids.
Ellie–
At least he treated the pigs well before killing them. That's certainly a step up. I mean, I'm vegan myself, but this isn't exactly a black-and-white situation.
I'm pretty sure the child says, "I play with my boots in the toilet."
Canaduck, I don't mean to be impolite to Meat Eater. If I knew the bloggers I disagree with, I bet I'd think most are essentially good people. I just can't be happy about farmers playing with animals they raise to be killed.
Another thought, Canaduck, or rather a question….why do you think this isn't a black and white situation?
Steven,
The kid says "BOATS." (According to Clorox.) This is the first time I've heard anyone thing it's "boots," but it does sound a lot like "poops," so I'm not surprised.
I heard it as boats.