Some Hefty Male-bashing

Introducing “The Gripper”, says Hefty, with memorable advertising like all companies strive to achieve. The commercial promoting this new product compares the garbage bag to the “Strong, Dependable Type” of man - only to toss “him” in the garbage in the end. I saw this commercial several times and, as a strong dependable man that I am, I was insulted. I’ll remember this Hefty ad since it offended me, but I can take it like a man and so I will.

I’ll avoid Hefty (PACTIV Corporation) products just like I won’t step foot into a Hallmark store since they feature male-bashing cards to make a buck on jaded women. Welcome to the club Hefty. As a matter of routine, I’ll make sure none of my investments include Pactiv stock (NYSE symbol PTV) since they are the owners of the Hefty brand and obviously don’t know how to address an the entire product market.

I do have to wonder why such a company would introduce a new product using a commercial that denigrates any of their potential customers. Makes me think Hefty doesn’t value investor money enough to maximize returns on their investment. So, I make sure I’m not giving them any of my investment money. I’m sure I’m not the only one with some business sense thinking this. Why would any company choose to introduce and promote a product by associating it with a negative message?

Here’s a transcript of the Hefty "The Gripper" ad that ran during the NBC evening news on November 13th, 2001:

Actress 1) If I had a man like Hefty…
Actress 2) If I had a man like Hefty…
Actress 3) He’d always be coming up with new ways to impress me

Female Voice) Introducing Hefty The Gripper. The first kitchen bag with the stretch and grip top so it hugs the can and won’t slip

Actress 3) oh, and he’d know how to hold on tight
Actress 1) …then he won’t cave under pressure

Female Voice) Nothing is made like the gripper. It stretches, grips, and stays put so it can take it like a man.

Hefty must have female chauvinists running amuck in the marketing department or they must have determined that targeting dysfunction women is worth alienating balanced women and men. Funny, I though we all need garbage bags but I suppose Hefty knows the market best. Maybe they figure men will just take their insults like a man and buy Hefty bags just the same.

Pactiv is an international company and I have to wonder if they have a Hefty product ad targeted toward the Taliban men since they dominate their culture. The Hefty brand doesn’t seem to mind associating themselves with chauvinistic women so denigrating a gender to advance their product shouldn’t be a problem. With a name like “The Gripper,” I’m sure they can come up with plenty of ways to denigrate women and get that male Taliban market share. Go to it you creative Hefty marketing geniuses.

To minimize the impact of misandrous commericials on TV, and it seems to be the current rage of ad agencies at present, by saying, "it is just TV for christsakes" is to ignore what is really happening here. These ad campaigns are multi-million dollar projects that are in essence psychological warfare targeted against one group for the benefit and advantage of another group. And that benefit coming at the expense of the targeted group. Considering the sad state of affairs in the relationships between men and women in this culture at this time, these inane and just plain stupid ads, such as Hefty's should be pointed out as the cheap shots they are. They can as far as I am concerned be viewed as non physical violence. And non-physical violence or non physical assault can be worst than the physical kind. The scars and damage can and do last longer. So there is much more going on in these commercials than some asinine puerile attempt to move a second rate product.

You're right on the money with your comments, except for addressing boston_liberty at this point. After having some discussion with boston_liberty in this thread, he saw the big picture. It's folks like 2Trievers who are weak on the subject. 2Trievers posted this:

When trash bags start coming with brains, then we can start worrying. Until then, this is silly.

2Trievers' comments are “silly” since brainy trash bags won’t make a difference in this discussion. The issue here is that men are denigrated by the association with trash in the commercial. This 2Trievers person doesn't attempt to read and educate him/herself to understand the real issue here and the bigger picture.

Women do the buying of most of the staples in a household. If the male in the family takes offense at an advertisment, he has an obligation to state that it offends him and request that the product NOT be purchased. Believe me, if a woman were offended with this type of ad, she would take action.

Looks like the feminists have already got you snared.

You refer to men as "males" but a woman is still a woman.

That's the feminist tactic of using words to denigrate men and boys whenever possible.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.