How Media and Advertising Turned Competent Men Into Comic Relief, And Why It Matters
When did we start depicting men as buffoons in television ads? Really!
I do not understand the motivation behind this depiction, but I am clear that the advertising industry is touting a very strong bias against men.
Liberty Mutual has a man who cannot speak English and repeatedly mangles the product’s pronunciation. At one point, they decided to have a female join him in the buffoonery.
An Aldi grocery store ad depicts a husband as a toddler, refusing to get out of the car to go into the new store. The wife bribes him with a quarter. Yes, I know you are going to say the quarter is for a grocery cart, but trust me, it is a bribe.
How stupid do the advertisers think women are? I see these as an insult to both men and women. The women are depicted as choosing these dunces as partners.
And before you tell me this is a backlash from the 1950s ads where women were portrayed as only domestic, I will say that even those ads presented the women as savvy and capable, not as bungling idiots.
“Houston, we have a problem.”
Apparently, we do not know how to relate to each other as equals and as competent people. The sexes must be either dominant or submissive. Help. Save me.
We need to figure this out before the backlash grows. There is already a strong movement among younger men to take back power and position in some pretty nasty ways. The Manosphere movement is attracting young men and promoting hate and abuse of women. These young men attracted to this movement feel diminished, and, in the advertising industry, they have every reason to feel put down, dismissed, and diminished. That is exactly what the media is promoting.
Any social movement will meet with resistance and opposition. The Women’s Movement has had a positive impact on the recognition of women’s competence and capability. That does not need to translate into men being incompetent and incapable. Why would the advertising world use that as a “hook” to sell products?
The only explanation I can imagine is that advertisers see all of us as buffoons.
Explore related reflections:
The Right Mindset blog
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Learn more from trusted media and culture resources:
Pew Research Center – Media & News
American Psychological Association – Gender Stereotypes
NPR – Media & Culture
If you are navigating cultural stress, gender dynamics, or questions about media influence, therapy can offer clarity and grounding. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support insight, resilience, and meaningful change.
By Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst
