Why I’m Never Eating a Snickers Bar Again (And It Has Nothing To Do With My Health)

Why I'm Never Eating a Snickers Bar Again

Why I'm Never Eating a Snickers Bar AgainOh, Snickers. For a minute I thought this post was going to be titled, “Why I’m Eating a Snickers Bar Every Day for the Rest of My Life.”

Yep, you were this close to gaining a very loyal customer.

But alas, you chose to go the sexist, demoralizing route with your latest “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” commercial.

The ad is an Australian one for the candy bar, and in it construction workers catcall to women on the street. Except instead of the traditional, expected misogynistic comments, the workers yell empowering things like, “I’d like to show you the respect you deserve!” and “I appreciate your appearance is just one aspect of who you are!”

The women are obviously surprised and delighted because—wow!—men are being respectful and empowering!

But, it turns out, their respect and empowerment is only because “you’re not you when you’re hungry.” That’s right, according to this commercial men only build up women when they’re so hungry they’re not their natural selves—their natural sexist selves.

Is the idea of a man supporting women’s equality and empowerment that crazy and far-fetched? I don’t think so, because my husband is one of them.

I wish our world—from the big stuff like public policy all the way down to the little stuff like candy bar ads—would start recognizing that men genuinely respecting women isn’t weak, silly, or unnatural.

Real men empower women, end of story. Tweet this!

What do you think of this commercial? Are the men in your life the kind who genuinely respect and empower women? 

image via polaroidmemories on flickr


33 responses to “Why I’m Never Eating a Snickers Bar Again (And It Has Nothing To Do With My Health)”

  1. Absolutely! I don’t think I would be married if I couldn’t have found a husband who respected me and respected women in general. And my dad is extremely respectful of women (perhaps raising two daughters will do that to you?!) Stuff like that stupid commercial is so frustrating.

  2. Very weird!
    I didn’t even really know if they were trying to say that these men HAD eaten Snickers and were only misogynists when they were hungry. Or if it’s saying that they were acting weird because they were hungry.
    Either way. Weird.

  3. Amen! From a marketing/advertising perspective, I wonder who created. This is why we need more women in the creative process/ad ranks so we have a different filter as ads are created and made. Assuming, of course, the ad was created by a man … just assuming.

  4. I have no room in my life for men who don’t respect women. What a strange ad – doesn’t seem like a message Snickers would want to send. I suppose the controversy could generate conversation and sales, and it’s all about the money, right?

  5. This could’ve been a great commercial if presented in any other way (e.g., without the “you’re not you when you’re hungry” aspect). So, is Snickers trying to tell us that it’s actually leading to misogyny, cat calls and sexism? Talk about a commercial gone wrong.

  6. I agree, I love snickers candy bar but this advertisement is sexist behavior. It would have been better if it was to promote “Snickers – Encourage one another.” That would be more appealing. I empower my girlfriend because she is beautiful in every sense having her stand by me makes me a stronger man. This ad isn’t something I can support.

  7. Well there goes one of the only candy bars I actually enjoy. Very disappointed in this. I’m so glad you brought it to my attention, Katie. I wonder how ads like this get by, but then I realize they are probably trying to make a stir. Like I said, disappointing.

  8. This is just ridiculous and I agree with a few of the other comments: the commercial would have been way better if it was reversed. Let’s spread the message that respecting woman is the norm, and degrading them is weakness.

  9. I can’t believe this is all they could come up with! If it’s supposed to be funny, it certainly isn’t. They have done other versions of this campaign which are not so bad, though.

  10. I’m with everyone else who thinks this ad doesn’t really make sense. What are they trying to say? And why would men bent on empowering women yell “You go girl!” Isn’t that statement itself belittling?

  11. Higher intellectual functions clearly haven’t permeated the grey matter or basic assumptions of the unreal boys who found this funny, approved and funded it.

  12. I love this post – it’s so true. Media shouldn’t portrait men as being out of character when they “behave”. My husband has always respected me 100% – it doesn’t matter how hot a woman is – he never stares at her (at least not in my presence) – and that is not something I take for granted. He respects me – and I respect him!

  13. I saw it and thought the opposite. I thought they were saying that the reason they were so polite was because they had eaten the snickers bar. So the commercial was trying to say all the cat callers are hungry, not themselves and just need a snickers. Otherwise the men would have been shown eating a snickers bar and then reverting to their true selves, like all the other commercials. The commercial seems to imply they had all just eaten snickers.

  14. I think this is a silly whiny post, you’re a feminazi looking for something too complaint about. More snickers for me (I’m a women).

  15. So what your going to never eat a single candy bar over a little commercial. That commercial is one of millions maybe even billions that are sexist and biased. It’s food, no need to get “triggered” over such a little thing.

  16. It’s a commercial and obviously not meant to be taken seriously. They have/had a few of those with different scenarios. They came up with a clever joke to poke fun of the stereotypical blue collar guy cat calling girls like in the movies not to say guys can’t be empowering and respectful.

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