We have many examples of advertisements not exactly hitting the mark, but here is one that is so off, we surprised it even got approved.
This is an ad for Sanfe, a women’s beauty and hygiene product brand.
First of all, I have opinions on the text in the ad.
“Hello brightness, for patchy inner thighs and pits”. Come on!
Then, the highly questionable intent behind making the product. The tube clearly states “bright and beautiful” which can be understood as “bright IS beautiful”.
After all the conversation about unfair beauty standards, this is where we are at?
And lastly, yes, the photo. I am wary of giving it any meaning with words (not that it requires any explanation after that very obvious messaging), but I do hope that the model was paid a hefty amount for this.
Anyway, I dug a bit deeper to find out more about this brand, and I found this.
So, that was an inauspicious start but I still went to their website to have a look at the products, and they had a lot to do with the ‘firming’, ‘refirming’, and lightening. Which fundamentally aren’t wrong concepts. You do you.
But given the fact that society tells women to look perfect, every second of every day, they become offensive; because chances are that many women are using them under pressure.
So we’re hoping someone in the Sanfe team will do some introspection. Though the papaya can be removed even without it.