Companies use advertisements not only to bring customers to their products but also to create goodwill. Ads impact sales, revenue, and the public image of the companies. They somewhat mirror a company’s values and moral standards, but what would you say about body deodorant or body spray ads that try to represent the female protagonist as a sex symbol instead of promoting their product’s purpose. It would not be wrong to say, several body spray ads create fancies and fantasies for the audiences and show women in a bad light, degenerating their dignity.
Most such ads show a boy spraying a deodorant or perfume on his body, following which he steps out, and all the girls start following him. Instances of such ads not malign the purpose of using body spray but also creates a false image of society.
In an attempt to repackage this old repetitive fashion, new ads launched by perfume brand Layer’r Shot have gone an inch farther that landed the makers into hot water. The makers, to garner some eyeballs, tried to add a pun in the ads, but to the contrary, it turned out to be distasteful and disrespectful.
The ads show the “only girl” present in the ad scenes intimated by the “sexual suggestiveness” of a group of boys.
What Actually Happened?
Layerr Shot launched two controversial ads having a runtime of 20 seconds.
In one of the ads, a group of four boys enters a room, where a couple is already there. Then, one of the boys asked the boy, who was already present in the room with his ladylove, a double-meaning question.
He asks: Shot maara lagta hai (It seems you have applied a shot). To which the other boy replies in affirmation. Following this, one of those four-boys group members says: Ab Hamari Baari Hai ( Now it is our turn).
During the conservation, the ‘only girl’ present in the room seems confused, scared, and intimated about the boys’ innuendos.
When a boy proceeds to take the Layers’ Shot perfume kept on a table, the girl heaves a sigh of relief. The boys were talking about the perfume, not her!
The other ad features the same set of men who came to buy Layer’r Shot perfume in a convenience store, standing behind a woman. The men can be heard saying “there are four of us, but there’s only one, who will get a shot”. The woman then turns to them, apparently shocked, as one of them reaches for a single bottle of ‘Shot’ perfume kept on a shelf.
How People Reacted?
Farhan Akhtar and Richa Chadha have condemned the deodorant brand advertisements, which promote rape culture.
Farhan Akhtar tweeted, “What incredibly tasteless and twisted minds it must take to think up, approve and create these stinking body spray ‘gang rape’ innuendo ads..!! Shameful.”
What incredibly tasteless and twisted minds it must take to think up, approve and create these stinking body spray ‘gang rape’ innuendo ads..!! Shameful.
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) June 4, 2022
Actress Richa Chadha called for action against the agency and the brand. She tweeted: “This ad is not an accident. To make an ad, a brand goes through several layers of decision-making. Creatives, script, agency, client, casting… DOES EVERYONE THINK RAPE IS A JOKE? Revelatory! This brand, the agency that made this ad needs to be sued for the filth they’re serving.”
This ad is not an accident. To make an ad, a brand goes through several layers of decision making. Creatives, script, agency, client, casting… DOES EVERYONE THINK RAPE IS A JOKE? Revelatory! This brand, the agency that made this ad need to be sued for the filth they’re serving. https://t.co/M3YjbljAYN
— RichaChadha (@RichaChadha) June 4, 2022
Songstress, Artist, and Producer – Sona Mahapatra took to Twitter and said: Theme – Gang-rape. Gagging after I saw it here on my Twitter timeline & wondering if giving them additional publicity is worse.
Theme – Gang-rape. Gagging after I saw it here on my twitter timeline & wondering if giving them additional publicity is worse. https://t.co/XrWPsQYsQ2
— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) June 4, 2022
TV News Anchor Sanket Upadhyay tweeted: “The latest series of SHOT perfume ads are repulsive. Almost suggesting rape. Imagine stuff like this cleared all checks and balances and made it to TV. What world are we living in?”
The latest series of SHOT perfume ads are repulsive. Almost suggesting rape. Imagine stuff like this cleared all checks and balances and made it to TV. What world are we living in?
— Sanket Upadhyay (@sanket) June 3, 2022
Condemnation By Many:
iTWEET:LayerrShot! Folks wake up! Yes advertising is part of popular culture today! But it’s certainly not about #RapeCulture or for that matter even a suggestive & suggested rape-culture! Wake up! Get behind the bars you must be!#LayerrShot #Advertising #Shot #Brands #Marketing
— Harish Bijoor (@harishbijoor) June 4, 2022
How does this kind of ads get approved, sick and outright disgusting. Is @layerr_shot full of perverts? Second ad with such disgusting content from Shot.@monikamanchanda pic.twitter.com/hMEaJZcdmR
— Rishita💝 (@RishitaPrusty_) June 3, 2022
Can’t find the ad online but here it is, apparently being played during the match. I didn’t see it till @hitchwriter showed it to me
Who are the people making these ads really? pic.twitter.com/zhXEaMqR3Q
— Permanently Exhausted Pigeon (@monikamanchanda) June 3, 2022
When we check next, the men who helped shape the gang-rape perfume ads will be in fancier positions with fatter pay.
Because the campaign got people talking, no! Eau de gangrape#shotperfume
— সোহিনী | ஸோஹினி | Sohini (@sohinichat) June 4, 2022
What a Bad Shot. Seriously disturbing & tone deaf ad. #shotperfume https://t.co/LcDEEJGsoG
— Shreya Dhoundial (@shreyadhoundial) June 4, 2022
It Calls For Government Action, Not Shot!
The government has asked the media platforms–Youtube, and Twitter to take down two controversial ads that fueled a rage amongst the people for the “derogatory” content shown in the ad.
“The video is detrimental to the portrayal of women in the interest of decency or morality,” said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The Self-Regulatory body Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) also condemned the ad and called it a “serious breach” of their code and against the public interest. It asked the advertiser to suspend the ad on an immediate basis.
Both Government and ASCI have intervened to stop the further publishing of the offending advertisement of Layerr Shot. https://t.co/wZm5B9tonb
— ASCI (@ascionline) June 4, 2022
Earlier in the day, Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwa censured the ad and called it showing “toxic masculinity” and promoting “rape culture”
She said; “Fuming at cringe-worthy ads of the perfume ‘Shot’. They show toxic masculinity in its worst form and clearly promote gang rape culture! The company owners must be held accountable. Have issued notice to Delhi Police and written letter to I&B Minister seeking FIR and strong action.”
Fuming at cringe worthy ads of the perfume ‘Shot’. They show toxic masculinity in its worst form and clearly promote gang rape culture!The company owners must be held accountable. Have issued notice to Delhi Police and written letter to I&B Minister seeking FIR and strong action. pic.twitter.com/k8n06TB1mQ
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) June 4, 2022