Super Bowl Sexism? #NotBuyingIt!

Every Super Bowl has those one or two ads that everyone is talking about around the watercooler the next day. Remember last year’s Chrysler commercial starring Detroit and Eminem? And that adorable (and notably genderless) kid in the Darth Vader costumewho magically started the family car?It’s no wonder companies spend big ad bucks on the big game. $3.5 million for a 30 second spot buys access to over 110 million viewers, many of whom tune in as much for the ads as for the game. In fact, 66 percent of female viewers say they watch as much or more for the ads, compared to 46 percent of male viewers.

Yet the same polls suggest that men are regularly more satisfied with the ads than women. Why? Because many Super Bowl advertisers turn to sexist, racist, and otherwise offensive stereotypes to market their wares. GoDaddy is a regular offender, showcasing racecar driver Danica Patrick as a sex object rather than a driving champion. And last year Pepsi Max went for a double whammy of racism and sexism with an ad that may or may not have been poking fun at First Lady Michelle Obama. And who could forget Groupon’s ad from last year, making light of the plight of the people of Tibet to promote their services?

Some folks choose to skip watching the bowl altogether rather than rage at the ads. But this year there’s a way to voice your displeasure and make a real change in the way Super Bowl ads are framed. Miss Representation, the movie turned movement to challenge the portrayal of women and girls in the media, is calling for Super Bowl viewers to tweet their displeasure with sexist Super Bowl ads by using the tag #NotBuyingIt. Viewers on this tag will be asking others tweeting about the #SuperBowl who the ad was directed at and what message was sent about gender.

A sample tweet:

Hey @godaddy, your #SuperBowl ad was offensive and degrading to women. I'm #notbuyingit!

While a tweet can do a lot to educate fellow viewers, how do we put companies on notice that these advertising tactics absolutely can’t be repeated next year? That’s where the power provided by change.org’s platform comes in. After you tweet about an offensive ad, start a petition asking the company not to air it again following the big game. If enough voices object to an ad, then the makers will get the message that it’s not welcome on TV and it didn’t resonate with consumers.

Change.org members have pressured JC Penney and Forever 21 to drop sexist t-shirts, Got Milk? to stop an offensive advertising campaign, and are currently pressuring LEGO to give up sexist marketing. When companies see their customers don’t like how they’re portrayed in their ads they change their practices. You, like Lauren Todd and Stef Gray, who beat JC Penney and Forever 21, can change the landscape of advertising.

We look forward to seeing you Super Bowl Sunday on the #notbuyingit tag. Settle down with your pizza and wings and get ready to change the game.