Coffee-mate, better than your mate?

            Nowadays, many commercials focus on the sexual aspect of women when presenting their products, suggesting that their product will bring consumers the sexual desire that is being presented. This form of presentation is very devaluating to women as it objectifies them as a sexual object.

              In a certain Nestle Coffee-mate Commercial, a man is shown to enjoy his coffee more while ignoring his partner who was trying very hard to “please” him. This commercial subtly suggests that the coffee produced by the using Coffee-mate will be even better than a woman, or in this case a “sexual object.

              Using the Potter Box Model, the definition formed by the producers is that the situation requires them to sell a product to the viewers. The values used by the producers are that of a professional values that focuses on maximizing their profit. The culture of the media today, in my opinion, already sees the sexual appeal of a woman to be a very effective approach in selling any product. Following this idea, the producers may have decided to use sexual appeal, but it still lacks for them since sexual appeal is already a common approach. In the end, the producers decided to present their product to be better than this “sexual appeal”. The principles that they followed is that of a utilitarian, focusing on the greatest happiness that will be brought to their company or client. In the end, their loyalty remained to their firm and decided to bring that kind of commercial, regardless of its subtle message.

              In my opinion, this commercial may be different to those which objectify women, but it is different in a worse way since it devaluates women even further. The usual concept shows that women are objects that are able to give pleasure. But the commercial worsens this concept by adding the message that women are now even disposable and can be easily replaced by other objects, in this case, the coffee and its creamer. Commercials nowadays are in a dire need to change in order to prevent the objectification of women but this commercial does the exact opposite. This brings into mind a big question. In the future, will the marginalization and objectification of women be demolished, or will media help in worsening the situation?

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