WARNING: Video is definitely NSFW
T-shirt company FCKH8 just released an extremely controversial video featuring young girls using the f-word repeatedly to make a point against sexism – and hopefully sell a lot of t-shirts in the process. But is using extreme, sensational tactics effective?
Although videos spread like wildfire on social media giving the impression of success, it doesn’t mean that they are actually effective ads (I know, after Old Spice it seems like that’s the case).
In other words, the objective of this commercial is to make viewers so outraged about the inequality between the sexes that they’ll immediately go buy stuff from FCKH8, who will generously donate $5 to a charity fighting sexism.
So is FCKH8’s ad effective in achieving its objectives?
I don’t think so. Further, I believe it has the potential to hurt the cause at the heart of all this – providing a fair and safe environment for women.
I’ll use the AIDA model of evaluating advertising creative to explain why (there are other newer frameworks, I’m just using this one to make my point).
Attention
By having little girls use foul language while dressed as princesses, this ad definitely grabs your attention. With over 2.7 million views (at the time of writing) in only a few days, this ad is certainly making the rounds.
Interest
FCKH8’s ad is really trying to do two things. First, it’s trying to raise awareness and interest in changing inequality. Second, it’s trying to piggy-back that movement and desire to do something in order to sell t-shirts. This is really where the ad fails.
The feminist message is lost because so many viewers, writers (such as me), big news outlets, etc. are focused on the medium and not the message. The debate is over whether or not little girls should be used in this manner and not over whether or not these girls will be treated fairly during their lives.
Here’s an example of a typical negative response that showed up in my Facebook feed.
I think it’s awful! I don’t let my 13 yr. old son swear like that much less my 12 yr. old daughter!! It’s taking stereotypes and turning it ok bc 6 yr. old + are cussing and it’s disgusting. If these children were in your house doing this what would say or think?? I bet you wouldn’t be cheering for it then.
Again, the discussion is about the medium and not the message.
Desire
Many in the audience never get to this stage. They never desire to either do something about the sexism in America or buy from FCKH8.
However, the message will obviously connect with others but only because they were already passionate about the cause. This ad just serves as a t-shirt awareness campaign for that audience.
In short, this ad is just preaching to the choir and repelling everyone else.
Action
Admittedly, many are emboldened by the message and some will certainly even buy some stuff as I mentioned above.
But many will further relegate inequality to that “fringe feminist” movement discrediting a real issue in America. It’s for this reason that using little girls to cuss like a sailor does a lot of damage.
I almost can’t stress enough the potential for damage from this ad.
Final thought
Hopefully I’ve made my point. I’m not arguing whether or not using little girls in such a manner is innately right or wrong. However, analyzing it from the lens of a marketer, using little girls in this way fails to achieve the ad’s intended objectives.
Will FCKH8 see a bump in sales? Absolutely. But it will be a short-lived spike.
Will sexism improve in this nation as a result? Not at all. And that’s a shame. Because it’s a problem that needs fixing.
If you agree, then take a moment to tell others.