Gender sensitivity, ET-style

Here’s the good news: the Unilever group has decided to “drop sexist stereotypes from its ads globally”. Instead of the ads that show women hypnotised by men’s cologne, the new Axe campaign will urge men to “find your magic”, according to this report. The focus, says Unilever, will be on “true magic that happens between two equals”.

Guess what The Economic Times decided would be a good image to illustrate this article?

There’s something particularly brilliant about ET choosing this stock photo that shows the highly unrealistic stereotype of a lusty teacher — if it is from an old Axe commercial, why not mention this? — for a box that’s titled “Getting Sensitive on Gender”. We’re told that Unilever wants to be about “positive portrayals of gender” and that ad agencies are insisting their clients be less sexist. How better to convince the reader than by having a scantily-clad woman in an overtly sexual pose alongside the text?

From the look of things, it’s ET that needs a crash course in gender sensitivity.