You have to smile when you read the press release from Unilever explaining how it and the other companies in the Unstereotype Alliance (who thought of that name) are going to (in its own words)
The Unstereotype Alliance co-convened by UN Women and Unilever for the first time in Cannes, aims to tackle how the industry can affect positive cultural change by using the power of advertising to help shape perceptions that reflect realistic, non-biased portrayals of women and men.
Now call me a cynic, and lots of people do, but this reeks of group virtue signalling.
Firstly, using stereotypes in advertising is bad advertising. So what are these companies saying 'Our ads have been crap and we are going to change them now we realise that marketing by stereotypes is bad business'?
Secondly, why stop at gender stereotypes? I can think of a lot of others, starting with the way older people are represented.
Sorry guys, I don't buy the story. Dick Stroud
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