This ad stopped me in my tracks yesterday, and not for positive reasons.

With the Aware EGM still fresh on people’s minds and the subsequent fallout still occurring, it’s hard not to draw the connection to the tagline. If it wasn’t meant to be a reference, the timing is still unfortunate and its message still left me feeling disturbed.

The ad is just one in a long line of ads and products that continually condescend women in their attempt to sell to them. The campaigns and product ideas often ring hollow and sicken me, even if they attempt to be tongue-in-cheek or cynical.

Stereotyping women negatively –  that women only care about shopping and turn violent and aggressive over things on discount. Surely I have encountered such people, but it isn’t just the women who are rude and nasty.

Reinforcing the misogynist idea that women should not be aggressive, but instead and nicely primped and soft spoken. Fighting makes you ugly! Anger will give you wrinkles! Here, buy this anti-wrinkle cream!

Indulgence in materialism is the key to buying some modicum of happiness — or should that be world peace?

Underneath this, there is a strong implicit notion that because you are a woman, all of your problems can be remedied by trips to the mall, shoes, or chocolate.

While we’re on the topic, I’d like to add that as a woman, I have no interest in: pink gadgets, pink appliances — as if I could never use a wok that’s black — flowers and ruffles, sparkles, chocolate-whatever, calorie-counting tools, references to Sex And The City, etc. I don’t need to have objects covered in pink glitter or a photo of Sarah Jessica Parker holding the object to be able to tell that I am supposed to buy them. Thank you very much.