It's hard to believe that advertising would go so far as this, but to many, the latest Ashley Madison New York Metro ads cross the line -- and then some.
Ashley Madison, the adultery-encouraging dating website, has released two ads that portray overweight women as scary. One of the ads asks the question "Did your wife SCARE you last night?" and go so far as to write "scary" in bloody, horror film-style red letters, followed by an image of an overweight women dressed seductively. The second ad places a big green check mark next to a half-naked "hot" girl while the overweight woman from the previous ad gets a red "X."
As Jezebel points out, the ads relay a clear message, "Your wife, though she's clearly gone to some effort to look sexy and seduce you, is too fat. Solution: adultery." Most people would find this message a terrible one, but according to Ashley Madison's CEO Noel Biderman, the Ashley Madison New York Metro ads were attempts at mimicking real life situations. He also says that while Ashley Madison's service may offend some people, it ultimately satisfies millions.
Offensive Adultery-Promoting Ads
Ashley Madison New York Metro Ad Calls Overweight Women "Scary"
Trend Themes
1. Anti-offensive Advertising Movement - Opportunities to create advertising campaigns focused on promoting positive messages and values without resorting to offensive or derogatory tactics.
2. Rising Demand for Ethically Responsible Marketing - Creating advertising campaigns reflecting the company’s ethical standards and credibility to promote a more positive social and cultural change.
3. Increasing Focus on Targeted Advertising - There is a growing trend towards targeted advertising that uses data analysis to strategically identify the most effective channels to reach the target audience.
Industry Implications
1. Ad and Marketing Agencies - Opportunities to develop and execute ethically responsible advertising strategies while creatively targeting specific customer segments.
2. Media and Broadcasting - Media companies have the opportunity to develop more powerful and less offensive advertising campaigns that promote positive images and messages.
3. Technology - Technology companies have the opportunity to develop advanced analytics tools that help marketer’s effectively target consumers while avoiding offensive advertising tactics.