Some Hefty Male-bashing

November 15th, 2001 | Disclaimer

[disclaimer]

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.

Actress 3) and when I’m done with him…

Actress 1) (shown dropping a bag of trash into a garbage can)

Actress 3) Chow baby
Actress 2) Bye bye
Actress 1) So long

Female Voice) The Gripper – new from Hefty. The strong dependable type.

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.

[Polybius]

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.

Reminds me of a New Yorker cartoon I once saw.

The doctor has come out of the Intensive Care Unit and the tearful wife asks, "Tell me the truth, Doctor. Will he ever be able to produce revenue again?"

[disclaimer]

Thanks TrueLiberty for signing up with the FreeRepublic today, as your profile indicates.
Welcome aboard! Apparently you had to make a comment about this “trivial” item so much that you signed up just now to do so.

Some of my best friends are immature

I understand why you relate to them so well.

[Bill_o'Rights]

Everyone should be empowered to get upset over whatever inconsequential trivial bit of nothing they want to get upset over

Corporate sponsored disrespect of men is growing to where all those trivial little anti-male message add up to one big campaign against manhood and fatherhood. Little girls run around wearing shirts that say “Girls Rule” as if they’re in competition with boys. The whole saying goes “Girls Rule, Boys Drool” if you haven’t heard it. If you have a little boy or girl, you’d be concerned if they’re being brainwashed to disrespect and blame the opposite gender for their problems.

[disclaimer]

basically what your saying is - why respond if I disagree. So your not open to constructive criticism?

Well, we have a difference of opinion. I believe it's always a good idea to take action where you see a wrong, no matter how futile it may seem. This is assuming you have the opportunity most of us don’t have the time. I happen to have some time so I used it. Why should I remain silent when presented with propaganda or messages supporting socialism, liberalism, and/or feminism?

We conservatives wind up attacking each other and dismissing each other’s efforts when we fail to see the big picture and work together. Subtle conditioning over time is the tool favored by those pushing decay on this Republic. So, we have to identify and highlight to propaganda to expose it for what it is.

Did I feel personally hurt by the Hefty advertisement – no. I could have easily spent my time doing other things today than address this corporate male bashing. However, knowing the impact feminism is having on our country and how it plays a major role in dragging this country to socialism - I chose to research the advertisement content and report it for comment.

So, why do you have a problem with me taking my time to expose and write about a negative force in our society?

[disclaimer]

Did you misspell your name? Should it be boston_liberal?

If you go through life worrying about every little insult and every little thing you will definitely end up regretting it.

Thanks for the tip. But you should just let these things go.

[gonzo]

"...To: freegonzo

Get over yourself-this is a conservative site.

If you really want to "lib-speak" go somewhere else.

Who cares!

Must of[sic] hit a nerve here. How is any of this "lib-speak"? Golly, I hope I didn't offend freegonzo..."

I dunno, disclaimer, maybe he's still thin-skinned. He's sorta like a '"gonzo"-in-training', y'know?

Yer Article was OK, but us manly-men never gave a rats-ass how we were portrayed in commercials on TV! It's just TV, for chrissakes! It's not something important!

When it's important, we grab our guns, and take care of business!!

He could be my kid, - I don't know. I sure-as-hell don't remember! Stay well and vigilant...FRegards

[packrat01]

Women should also be built like hefty; stretches, grips, and stays put so it can take it

[disclaimer]

Yer Article was OK, but us manly-men never gave a rats-ass how we were portrayed in commercials on TV! It's just TV, for chrissakes! It's not something important!

This attitude is exactly why the feminists (read socialists) have a strong foothold in this country. To them the television is a powerful brainwashing tool, and they use it to incrementally influence our society. You don’t speak for manly-men that take responsibility for their families.

When it's important, we grab our guns, and take care of business!!

I read this to mean - when it’s too late, we grab our guns. That’s assuming we have something to fight for by then.

[disclaimer]

I'd prefer not to watch and I think that good parents will remove the television from their home and teach their goddamed kids to read.

That'll work - you could attempt to block your kid's access to the media.

Are you a member of the NRA? Are you aware that they (we) track business and groups that are anti-2nd amendment? The NRA discourages its members from doing business with anti-gun corporations. Don't you thing this same reasoning should apply to companies pushing the feminist agenda?

I can't stress this enough - But, I think concentrating on the politicians is enough to keep me busy until the day I die.

...and then some. The battle to preserve our Republic has many fronts to fight. It’s a culture war. Chill out and do what you can do. In the meantime avoid supporting businesses, as much as you possibly can, that are against your principles. You know, you vote with you money too.

[Nick Danger]

so called manly men wouldn't be offended... No offense, but there are far more pressing things to worry about that some marketing gimick.

Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when you were 5 years old. You are not a big manly man, you are a little kid trying to understand the world. What does this ad say to you?

What does it say to the kid whose mommy has always told him that the reason he doesn't have a daddy like other kids is because daddy was a bad man and left? After seeing a dozen or so of these ads that treat men as stupid, dispensable objects, does he begin to wonder whether he really has a place in this world? What if the reason daddy is gone is that mommy threw him out? Can he trust mommy to tell him the truth?

Think about how this subtle cultural wind that continally denigrates men is affecting the way children see the world.

[disclaimer]

Good luck with the boycott my friend, you can count me in.

Thanks for hanging around to hash out our differences.

[Harrison Bergeron]

"Geez, I kind of got a kick out of the ad. Guess you have to have a sense of humor..."

Humor, OK. Men as disposable trash bags. We've become so conditioned that it never occurs to us to imagine these man-hating ads with the sexes reversed, and how outraged we would (and should) be. "Stupid men." "Unreliable men." "Cheap men." "Klutzy men." "Mean men." "Thoughtless men." "Dirty men." "Lazy men." I can, offhand, think of only one ad on television that portrays men in a positive light. It's for a bath soap. It's the only soup we'll buy. Can you name the product?

[skeeter]

Geez, I kind of got a kick out of the ad. Guess you have to have a sense of humor...

Why? Nobody else does.

I used to get a kick out of the Taco Bell Chihuahua & look what happened to him.