Gamestation Defends "Sexist" Ad

[MidnightCat]

To me, it's saying "Your girlfriend is cheap! But our games are even cheaper!", rather than "Taking a woman on a date is expensive! Play a cheap game instead!". Both could be seen as offensive, though - the first implies that the girlfriend is willing to whore herself out for cheap gifts, while the second re-enforces outdated gender expectations. And both imply that a woman is something that you can put a price on, and for the right price, she'll put out. But it's offensive to the male gamers too, as it's suggesting that they can only get "cheap" women, or have to exchange gifts for sex, and it assumes that men - or male gamers - all subscribe to the notion that a woman is something that has to be bought. No matter how you take it, the ad is frankly insulting to both genders, if only because it assumes that male gamers will find the joke amusing.

That said, it doesn't bother me that much. If the woman in the article was offended by the advertisement she definitely had the right to speak up, and I don't think it was "too PC" of her to do so. Just as if a man doesn't like the way men are portrayed in a commercial - "So easy a man could do it!" - they also have the right to complain.

I have to say, though, what worries me far more than one stupid ad is the attitude a lot of the guys posting in this thread have towards taking women on dates and buying them gifts. I never make/let the guy pay for me for anything, and if he gives me a gift, I give him one too. Seriously, if the girls you lot are dating are putting you out of pocket without giving something (not sex!) back, you need to date some different girls. =/

 

[TiefBlau]

I actually thought it just meant they were calling your girlfriend a whore.

 

[kellith1stnonly]

As a girl, I don't find the ad sexist or offensive-- just stupid. It's making some pretty broad generalizations about women and the "costs" of making them happy, but it's not something I'd complain about.

And this sort of marketing ploy isn't limited to UK game retailers-- Game Stop does these types of male-centric promotions all the time.

 

[Darkauthor81]

Dear Gamestation,
"Our customers love this about us."
What? No. What we love is that you're occasionally cheaper than the average Game. What we love is the no-nonsense trade-ins and preowned stuff. You're not a close friend or valuable business partner, you're a distributor. If somewhere else sold the games for cheaper, we'd all go there, no matter how "edgy" you are.
This? This is just childish.

Thank you. I award you one internet for awesomeness above and beyond the call of forum posting.

 

[Zeetchmen]

Silly ads, gamers dont have girlfriends

 

[nomad240]

Is she implying girlfriends are cheaper than 30 pounds?

Joking aside ... the ad is a joke. Its not edgy or controversial, its just silly. But complaining about it is even more silly.

ahh but is it sillier than the ministry of silly walks?

 

[Lerasai]

This is ridiculous. Some of you are actually saying this isn't in any way sexist? The "cheaper than your girlfriend" part isn't that bad, anyone can pretty much tell its meant as a joke. It's that about half of the entire population has been completely ignored here, except to make a joke at their expense. Do you have any idea how much it sucks to be completely pushed aside like that?

And to say that it is because the majority of their audience is male, what kind of excuse is that? They've already got the guy's attention, why isn't there increased marketing towards women where they actually need it? We're so unimportant to these jerks that they don't even want our money.

I am not a person easily offended, but issues like these hit really close to home and some of your reactions to this just made me want to smack you across the head. Put yourself in her shoes for a moment, really.
[/rant]

 

[EnzoHonda]

Sterotypical date cost

Two movie tickets: $14
snacks: $5
Dinner for two:$20
total cost for 'tradional date': $39

Used Copy of Black Ops: $45


See, a GF is cheaper even if she dosen't pitch in. besides, you can't make out with black ops... and even if you could it would give you an std anyway.

You either haven't been on a date since 1985 or you only go out on "Cheap Tuesdays" and take her to Burger King (Home of the Whopper!).

About the ad: the funniest thing is that she didn't get the joke. Blonde?

 

[godfist88]

the UK seems to come up with some odd ideas for adverts don't they?

 

[Nurb]

It isn't any more sexist than how men and husbands are portayed on TV; dumb fucks who are lucky to have found some woman who rolls her eyes constantly at her husband's weekly antics and constantly calls him an idiot. She on the other hand can't be criticized or included in any self-deprecating humor. Everyone loves Raymond is a perfect example of this.

If women want to stop being seen as "expensive", they need to get out of the 50's and start paying their fair share during the dating process.

A Swiss co-worker I once had came in shocked one day when he had a woman ask him if he wanted to have a drink with her at a bar, then acted insulted when he assumed she'd be paying since she offered drinks to him. Turns out women over there pay their half on the first few dates until they occasionaly start treating each other because they view themselves as prostitutes if they allow men to pay for them most of the time.

Women need to see the double standards and stop bitching about every little thing. Either take the joke or move on. It's what we do when we're told we're inferior horny morons in commercials and TV.

 

[Nouw]

Yeah, sexism is fun right!




Urg....

I believe the fun he was talking about was humour.

Oh and that could give me a good chuckle if I walked in a game store and read that, rock on Gamestation!

 

[Dragonpit]

I see this joke all the time, and honestly...I can't really say it's sexist. Hell, even my grandmother says dating girls is expensive. My grandmother! I'm sorry, but I just cannot agree to this woman's reaction.

...That said, I'm desperately single.

 

[13lackfriday]

It doesnt mean that the girlfriend is cheap, actually it means that she is expensive and going with games instead of girls is cheaper.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, now I get it.....

When you put it that way, it's not really sexist, just fiscally realistic.

 

[godofallu]

It doesnt mean that the girlfriend is cheap, actually it means that she is expensive and going with games instead of girls is cheaper.

That was my understanding as well. Like today my options were go out on a date, or play Halo with my 2 roommates.

Halo cost me nothing (well a frozen pizza so $2) but the date would have cost me 40 bucks easily. Women are expensive.

 

[Trippy Turtle]

Dear Gamestation,
"Our customers love this about us."
What? No. What we love is that you're occasionally cheaper than the average Game. What we love is the no-nonsense trade-ins and preowned stuff. You're not a close friend or valuable business partner, you're a distributor. If somewhere else sold the games for cheaper, we'd all go there, no matter how "edgy" you are.
This? This is just childish.

Childish or not it worked. but yeah the rest is good.

besides i like ad's that are original not all the "Family friendly" crap.

 

[Laser Priest]

Not having these douchebags is one advantage of not being in the UK.

Instead we get to have Gamestop running a fucking monopoly.

 

[Marble Dragon]

Double standards. Men are discriminated against so much more than women if you ask me.

Ahahahahahaha -- wait, were you serious? That's the most ignorant statement I've read in weeks. Maybe you live in some magical fairyland where women are paid more than men and treated like actual human beings by the majority of people. (In the world, not just the little corner you inhabit.) Apparently, a lot of guys live there. And no, I'm not saying that sexism against men is okay. But sexism against women is provably more common, and often has greater effects. (An ad saying men are slobs, versus a life spent giving sex to a man you hate, because he's rich and your parents gave you to him. Yeah, both happen. Which do you think I care about more?)

Besides, in the case of the Oven Pride ad, you could argue that it's sexist against women as well because it reinforces the idea that women are supposed to stay at home and clean, whereas men have more important things to do. That's a stupid thing to say, I think, but it's just as valid a point.

Here's what's really interesting to me - I had the same interpretation, that the ad was implying the girlfriend was cheap (kind of an "oh, snap" insult or so-called "edgy" humor). So Andy and I were wondering if guys read that ad one way, and girls another?

Oh, and the ad is dumb, but not worth really getting all that upset over.

Agreed. And yes, that's the way I took the ad. Perhaps women are more sensitive on the subject? But I don't really care about the ad - it was kind of funny, in a "your momma" way. I mean, who really cares? Definitely not worth turning into an activist over it. If you're going to speak out against sexism in the gaming industry, there are far better examples. Just sayin'.

 

[chronolos]

I find this tasteless and slightly degrading. I dont find it super offensive, but its not really funny either. Plus it looks like its drawn with crayon.
It's definately not helping to show the world that gamers and their media's distributors are sensible, mature people.