Method Pulls Shiny Suds Ad For Sexism

Method Pulls Shiny Suds Ad For Sexism — Is It Offensive?

December 3, 2009

In this recently pulled viral video for Method cleaning products, a gang of perverted soap bubbles harasses a naked woman trying to take a shower. The suds explain that they're chemical residue left over from her cleaner, which gives the impression of clean, while leaving them behind to watch her clean. . . herself.

The leering shiny bubbles definitely make me uncomfortable, and I think that's the point. The ad agency hoped that the commercial would prompt you to buy Method so you don't have to deal with harmful chemicals when you take a shower. But does tying uneasiness about toxic cleaners to a woman's fear of sexual assault go too far?

40 Comments

3 years 12 weeks

This is ridiculous. People are saying this is sexist and endorses this and that but that is stupid. At what point does someone look at a commercial with TALKING BUBBLES and start taking it seriously at all?!?!?! It made it's point across and rather successfully. That's the point of a commercial. Jeez people lighten up a little.

ali321 3 years 23 weeks

She really should just pop them.

3 years 23 weeks

anon: "I do wonder though, if this was a man in the shower and the bubbles were female, would we even be having this conversation? " No, but that's probably because sexual assault and objectification don't happen to men anywhere near as often as they do to women. That's not to say that it doesn't happen, but it's not anywhere near as common.

3 years 23 weeks

Yes, they're "just bubbles", but they're bubbles with humanlike faces, and human voices, who are behaving like the sort of humans who sexually harass people. If the commercial had stopped before she got into the shower it would have been a lot less creepy while still getting the point across - maybe she could have run to the store and gotten some Method cleaner to fend off the peeping-tom bubbles? Instead we get to watch her bathing herself while the bubbles leer and catcall at her, something that quite frankly made *me* uncomfortable - I think Method was quite right to pull this ad, because given how common sexual assault is I don't think it's okay to portray this sort of thing as if it's a joke.

danakscully64 3 years 24 weeks

I'm a woman and I laughing out loud. That commercial was awesome. The loofah part was the best.

plasticine 3 years 24 weeks

you know, i have been reading all kinds of crap about this commercial, and was afraid to watch it, instead going on the comments i read about it. and now that i've watched it, i have this to say: 1. someone asked "why does she continue to take a shower with them leering at her?" i think it's because they're BUBBLES, and they're kind of cute bubbles. they may have male voices, but they're on the same level with my cat and spiders in the shower, ie things i don't mind watching me shower 2. they're evil. they're supposed to be bad, dirty jerks. so the commercial is doing its job 3. im just trying to imagine if i was on a crazy acid trip, decided to shower, and was greeted by talking perverted bubbles. would i go on to shower? yes, i probably would. 4. BUT....why a woman? why DO they all have male voices? 5. does a goofy commercial normalize this behavior? the sort of behavior this commercial is displaying has gotten about as bad as it can BEFORE this commercial ever came to be i dont know.

plasticine 3 years 24 weeks

you know, i have been reading all kinds of crap about this commercial, and was afraid to watch it, instead going on the comments i read about it. and now that i've watched it, i have this to say:1. someone asked "why does she continue to take a shower with them leering at her?" i think it's because they're BUBBLES, and they're kind of cute bubbles. they may have male voices, but they're on the same level with my cat and spiders in the shower, ie things i don't mind watching me shower2. they're evil. they're supposed to be bad, dirty jerks. so the commercial is doing its job3. im just trying to imagine if i was on a crazy acid trip, decided to shower, and was greeted by talking perverted bubbles. would i go on to shower? yes, i probably would.4. BUT....why a woman? why DO they all have male voices?5. does a goofy commercial normalize this behavior? the sort of behavior this commercial is displaying has gotten about as bad as it can BEFORE this commercial ever came to bei dont know.

3 years 24 weeks

I am a woman and do not find this offensive. this was funny. its not suppose to be taken seriously..jeez...some people on here are a little uptight.

Pistil 3 years 24 weeks

It's not calling out that behavior as bad, it's making it HILARIOUS.

3 years 24 weeks

I love when people say this "it legitimizes an annoying social mind set by men towards women". Um, NO IT DOESN'T. It's calling out that behavior as BAD. Why are people so LITERAL? Just because something is shown doesn't mean it's being endorsed. It's scary when people react so blindly. I thought it was hilarious and made a really good point. A point that, sadly, is being completely ignored because of the noise about "sexism".

khadeekiinsz 3 years 24 weeks

This commercial is very clever, and humorous. It gets the point across. The bubbles were supposed to be creeps. If any was offended, then idk, hypersensitive much...?

3 years 24 weeks

I can't say that I was offended, but it made me really uncomfortable. I always wonder how ads like these even get made. There are so many people involved, you'd think someone at some point would point out how icky it is.

ali321 3 years 24 weeks

I think the bubbles are super cute and the commercial is funny. But at some points it's a bit creepy. The woman responds as though she's really uncomfortable and then just keeps showering despite being watched by the sleazy bubbles.

franceslopez 3 years 24 weeks

Okay, I do think this advert is offensive, and I would never ever defend it in public, but I laughed SO hard at the 'Use the loofah' part.

3 years 24 weeks

I thought it was hilarious! As did my roommate, my mother and father (who both are in their 60's). I do wonder though, if this was a man in the shower and the bubbles were female, would we even be having this conversation?

KadBunny 3 years 24 weeks

I wonder how many bubbly chemicals have been laughing at me all this time :(

Muirnea 3 years 24 weeks

Hypno: "In and of it self I agree it's funny. However I think the annoyance is that it legitimizes an annoying social mind set by men towards women. Those who see this as offensive aren't just looking at the commercial and that's it. They're looking at the big picture and see it as a reinforce of behavior they loath." PERFECT answer. That's EXACTLY why I hate commercials, pop culture, etc. that jokes about stuff like this. Because it reinforces/normalizes acting like that. Which I'm sure anyone would agree is not ok to do in real life. If we aren't ok with something in the real world, why should we act like it's ok to joke about it? T.V. and stuff like that really does affect viewers. It makes stuff like that seem ok and funny, and yeah, I do think that carries over to how people think in the real world...subconsciously, not on purpose of course. And I think the fact that people DO joke about stuff like that, means that no one is taking the problem seriously, (especially guys, who aren't empathetic towards it at all b/c they don't have to deal with it). And of course, it would be easier to fix problems like that in the real world, if everyone took the problems seriously. I'm glad it got pulled.

Muirnea 3 years 24 weeks

Hypno: "In and of it self I agree it's funny. However I think the annoyance is that it legitimizes an annoying social mind set by men towards women. Those who see this as offensive aren't just looking at the commercial and that's it. They're looking at the big picture and see it as a reinforce of behavior they loath."PERFECT answer. That's EXACTLY why I hate commercials, pop culture, etc. that jokes about stuff like this. Because it reinforces/normalizes acting like that. Which I'm sure anyone would agree is not ok to do in real life. If we aren't ok with something in the real world, why should we act like it's ok to joke about it? T.V. and stuff like that really does affect viewers. It makes stuff like that seem ok and funny, and yeah, I do think that carries over to how people think in the real world...subconsciously, not on purpose of course. And I think the fact that people DO joke about stuff like that, means that no one is taking the problem seriously, (especially guys, who aren't empathetic towards it at all b/c they don't have to deal with it). And of course, it would be easier to fix problems like that in the real world, if everyone took the problems seriously. I'm glad it got pulled.

3 years 24 weeks

it was fine until she got in the shower. if the tone of the ad, or like dexaholic said, if her expression had been different the commercial might have worked. i have a sailor mouth and can shoot crude jokes with the best of them, but this commercial creeped me out. if you can make me uncomfortable, you've taken it too far.

postmodernsleaze 3 years 24 weeks

I don't know if I'd say I was offended... but it was just... I don't know... kind of creepy?

staple salad 3 years 24 weeks

I think it's a cute idea, but could have been presented better. I'm not easily offended but I was kinda disturbed by this ad.

snarkypants 3 years 24 weeks

:ROTFL: oh beth, don't worry, i think it's hilarious!!!

snarkypants 3 years 24 weeks

:ROTFL: oh beth, don't worry, i think it's hilarious!!!

bethinabox 3 years 24 weeks

I don't know if I'm just weird, but I thought this was actually kind of hilarious... ahaha.

dexaholic 3 years 24 weeks

I think it's kinda funny, but I really felt the woman's uncomfortableness too. Maybe if the bubbles were a mix of male/female voices it would have been different, or if the woman was more annoyed then terrified...

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