New Delhi: Brands try out different ways to promote and sell their products and one of the most common ways is sexualising. Such advertisements by brands have been pulled off in no time. The recent ad by the body spray Layer’r Shot seemed to have crossed all its limits.
One of their advertisements that is airing on SonyLiv during the first Test match between England versus New Zealand has raised severe controversy on social media. The ad shows a couple sitting in a bedroom when the guy’s friends enter the room.
One of the friends asks the guy “Shot mara? (Did you take the shot)” to which he replies, “Haan mara na. (Yes, I did).” He then folds his sleeve and say, “Ab hamari baari hai. (Now, it’s our time).” The girl looks shocked and confused at their conversation and only takes a sigh of relief when the friend moves to take the Shot deodorant bottle kept in the room.
See the ad here:
Can’t find the ad online but here it is, apparently being played during the match. I didn’t see it till @hitchwriter showed it to me
Who are the people making these ads really? pic.twitter.com/zhXEaMqR3Q
— Permanently Exhausted Pigeon (@monikamanchanda) June 3, 2022
This is not the only ad that is featuring sexualisation. In another ad by the brand, four men at a supermarket have a conversation when a girl approaches. When they spot the last remaining bottle of the Layer’r perfume, they discuss who will take the “shot” since there are four of them and one of it. However, the brand instead of showing the perfume bottle shows the girl during the conversation with the friends. She even turns back angrily at them as she thinks they are talking about her.
How does this kind of ads get approved, sick and outright disgusting. Is @layerr_shot full of perverts? Second ad with such disgusting content from Shot.@monikamanchanda pic.twitter.com/hMEaJZcdmR
— Rishita? (@RishitaPrusty_) June 3, 2022
Outrage on Twitter
The advertisements raged the netizens and accused the brand of trivialising an issue millions of women in the country have to live with every day. While many accused them of promoting rape culture. One of the netizens wrote, “How does this kind of ads get approved, sick and outright disgusting. Is @layerr_shot full of perverts?” while another commented, “Whoever ideated, wrote, produced, acted in and approved the new Layer’r Shot ads, shame on each one of you.”
See reactions of netizens here:
Ladies and gentlemen, the same brand that produced the above ad. Should tell us how all these days are worth shit https://t.co/Wnr1wQxEal
— Permanently Exhausted Pigeon (@monikamanchanda) June 3, 2022
One more https://t.co/6oYQkv49QN
— Rishita? (@RishitaPrusty_) June 3, 2022
What a pathetic advertisement! What are these guys trying to promote, gang-rape? I am issuing notice to Delhi Police to register an FIR against the company. Also writing a letter to Min I&B @ianuragthakur ji to immediately stop this advertisement from playing on mass media. https://t.co/59Kr2mvXd2
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) June 3, 2022
Stop this filth immediately @layerr_shot @SonyTV @MIB_India @ascionline https://t.co/9mJmimRyFw
— atul gulatee (@atul_gulatee) June 3, 2022
During the test match of #ENGvNZ there’s a disgusting ad by @layerr_shot is aired many times on national television.
Please look into this @sharmarekha, @NCWIndia, @ianuragthakur. We wonder how it even got approved by @ascionline. pic.twitter.com/7vJJA8gIJj
— Youth Against Rape ® (@yaifoundations) June 3, 2022
One More ad.
What kind of nonsense is this and people who approved this need to be fired immediately. @ianuragthakur @sharmarekha
YouTube link: https://t.co/W5GLjOa6sv pic.twitter.com/FrhRqkAdXf
— Youth Against Rape ® (@yaifoundations) June 3, 2022
इससे विभत्स,घटिया और नीच सोच वाला विज्ञापन नही हो सकता है। बात सिर्फ़ विज्ञापन की नही है,मुझे उस पूरी टीम पर घिन आती है जिसने इसे बहुत “क्रीएटिव” मान कर बनाया होगा। pic.twitter.com/voamwUTprs
— Narendra nath mishra (@iamnarendranath) June 3, 2022
शर्मनाक है ये ! @ascionline आप इस पर कुछ कहेंगे ?
— Alok Putul (@thealokputul) June 3, 2022
क्या वाक़ई ये विज्ञापन सामान्य है ?
अगर नहीं तो संज्ञान लीजिए @smritiirani @NCPCR_ @sharmarekha @SwatiJaiHind pic.twitter.com/1AXUrRDAH0— Anurag Dixit (@anuragdixit2005) June 3, 2022