I was told, and knew to expect before I came to Oz, that it was a very progressive country. This means “liberal” in the American sense, although “liberal” means the opposite here when it comes to politics, so let’s just stick with the word progressive for now. So it was no surprise when I saw an ad for feminine hygiene products that featured a beaver. Yeah, you heard right, the animal that builds damns across water. The tagline was something along the lines of “it’s the only one you’ve got, so be good to it.” Yes, it was funny, and might have been played on MTV in the US, but probably never made it as an ad during ANTM (“America’s Next Top Model” for those of you who don’t know) but during ANTM is precisely when I saw it the other day (of course the A stands for Australia’s out here).
But, I don’t think you would ever see and ad in the States for help with premature ejaculations that featured an, *ehem* animated logo. I’ll let your imaginations sort that one out. And even though it was a documentary, on after 10pm, I’m not sure KCET would have ever played “The Perfect Vagina.” This British documentary featured no shortage of “fannys” or “lady bits” (as the Brits call them) and even footage of an actual labiplasty, a surgery I hope to never have to talk someone out of.
But among all the eyebrow raising ads, are hints of what I would call a few old fashioned notions. Advertisers still imply that making a good roast is women’s business, and watching rugby is men’s. The other day while walking around my neighborhood, my attention was attracted by a bright pink van. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was a handyman service called “Hire a Hubby”. As cute as the van was, with it’s little stick figure wearing a tool belt as a logo, I’m sure the company name would have never made it past the planning phases in an American business model. Even if it had, some political interest group or another would have attacked the company for promoting the stereotype that women can’t preform household repairs and, lacking a husband, must turn to a handy-MAN. If you’re anything like me, you would think that they should go out and find something better to do with their time, but that wouldn’t stop them from getting press.
Of course, are all these ideas really so different from what we get bombarded with in the states? Isn’t dishwashing soap still sold to women, and large TVs for watching “the game” still sold to men? There is still a rating system for televisions shows, and it functions on parameters similar to those in the US. Even the word “balls” was bleeped out during and episode of The View, though in the states we’ve grown far past “The 7 dirty words you can’t say on television”, of George Carlin’s day. (well, maybe not most of them, but I think the FCC has come to at least accept “tits” (the word, not the act of exposing them during the Superbowl)) I think the only real difference is, that Americans worry much more about who they might offend, and get offended a bit too often.
Documentaries aim to bring about an understanding of something we couldn’t possibly understand if they were edited down. Cute company names are created to help you remember them. And funny ads are simply that, funny. So I can only hope that my exposure to Australian media will, in addition to re-familiarize me with “Magnum PI” (You haven’t aged a day Tom Selleck), also encourage me to lighten up.
Actually, Australia is pretty conservative (as in, not progressive) in a lot of ways especially when it comes to gender and race. (Have you heard them talk about aborigines in the news yet? Have they made a national apology yet?)
I think Americans think of Australia as progressive because they have national health care and mandatory vacation and stuff. And because we mostly just think of hot tanned surfers who are like “dude. whatever. peace.” But I’m not sure that culturally that are any more, and are perhaps less, progressive than we are. And it’s not really across the board; it definitely depends on the issue. Anyway, that’s kind of the fun and enlightenment of living abroad …
For the record, I think a tampon ad featuring a beaver is decidedly not progressive at all.
Thus my conclusion that it’s just for laughs. It’s not really about politics but about humor. I think Americans take themselves a bit more seriously (or are at least a little more sensitive). I didn’t even talk about the ad saying Aussies were going to send the carbs in their beer to the people who really appreciated them, Americans. But think about the reaction that would have produced in the States. Someone would be protesting the ad for a lack of sensitivity to the growing obesity problem. I think what I’m trying to say is . . . whatever dude, get over it.
Beavers make dams. Dams stop the flow. Tampons stop the flow. Get it?
I think a feminine ad featuring a beaver is funny as hell.
Would never see that on Lifetime during a Golden Girls marathon.
Though I can’t imagine an audience more primed to laugh at that joke that one tuned in to a Golden Girls marathon.
Of course, USA is just sexually and physically repressed. If it relates to physical functions, we can’t publicly acknowledge it exists. There is a great Dilbert cartoon where the female office drone asks to leave early. The pointy haired boss says no. She says she’s already worked like 80 hours that week, but he still says no. Then she starts a sentence “I have to go see the doctor for female …” and he screams “no details! go! go!” Remember to use that someday.
I would love to see the beaver ad. Here we just have the “male enhancement” ads with all the euphamisms.
A Beaver in the USofA while trying to build a dam across a stream would slowly drown as the tampoon took on water!