Sometimes I wonder if Wade Millican secretly wears a cape. Not only is he incredibly smart, he also acts as the social conscience of Twitter, regularly pointing out the imbalances in our world. Or perhaps it’s just mine (thanks, Wade). So this week’s Friday Folly is devoted to Henderson & Horning who are being personally introduced to social media by Wade.
A few weeks ago, Wade pointed out the billboard shown here. He wasn’t happy about the depiction and content. He didn’t like walking past it each day on his way to work — so he decided to do something about it. He rang Henderson & Horning to complain. Not gaining satisfaction, he contacted the advertising standards board and lodged an official complaint … which is now being processed.
Yesterday, Wade provided an update, noticing that a Google search for Henderson and Horning brings up his entry "Sexist Advertising" just below the business’ entry. The memory of the long tail is, indeed, forever.
Update: Seth Godin asks us to consider our complicity in bad marketing. Think about the choices we make when we make a purchase decision.
Gavin-
Perhaps they should have used one of the three things that everyone stares at: a roaring fire, a babbling brook or a Zamboni cleaning the ice. In fact, H&H could have done a whole series of advertisements using each.
-Jeff
I love it. Wade blog and your blog are up behind it. Your’s coming in 3rd!!!
This is great!
Hi Gavin,
Thanks for the post, and again for the initial inspiration to take a stand.
As Adam’s said it appears we are growing in Google on this issue. Just a few more links and I feel we will topple Henderson and Horning for the #1 spot 🙂
Thanks for the comments, all. The thing I don’t like about this most, is that it is lazy advertising. Sure, sex sells. But there are much better ways to engage people …
And you never know, someone reading this may match the features advertised here match what they are looking for in a showroom/office space.
After all, we each bring our own context and need to a situation. That is the chaos of context that is hard to predict.
Nice one Wade! The Google search stuff is awesome. Lets get it to number 1!
Welcome Henderson and Horning, to the uneasy world of social media! Good work Wade and Gav!
I have been looking at this sign for a long time now and really cannot see what is Sexist about it. Sexism is bias against a certain gender. In this Ad they depict a man and possibly a woman, you cannot tell the gender of the legs. Where is the bias ?
Perhaps the incredibly smart ones are Henderson & Horning as we are all looking at the property.