A barrage of negative feedback led to North Dakota tourism officials pulling a print advertisement that was called "sleazy" by some people on Facebook.Jersey Shore-esque! You have got to be kidding.
The ad shows two men at a bar table and three women on a sidewalk eyeing each other up through a window. The image falls under the message, "Drinks, dinner, decisions," with a tagline, "Arrive a guest, leave a legend."
Facebook commenters found the ad distasteful and Jersey Shore-esque, saying the objectification of women outweighed the message of promoting nightlife in North Dakota.
I thought the ad was objectifying men. I guess the barrage of negative feedback came from the same folks in southwest North Dakota who don't like the idea of a bunch of men living together.
The photo is at the linked site. Something tells me this photo will be hard to find in a few days. "Cut and paste" now.
For all you roughnecks out there, this photo is THE pin-up you need in your man-camp unit. Or send it to your geographically-separated significant other to reassure her this is as racy as it gets in the oil patch.
But you have got to be kidding! Two guys and three gals -- smiling at each other -- fully clothed; separated by a window. Jersey Shore-esque? I've been to the Jersey Shore, and this photo does not in any way look like Jersey Shore.
Time for a new tourism director, it appears. Perhaps start with a full-spread glossy on the two gentlemen's clubs in Williston, the first places of entertainment that tourists who arrive by train see in Williston. [Note to readers: I have come into Williston on numerous occasions on Amtrak, and have never, never noticed the clubs. They are in non-descript buildings -- I can't even remember if they have neon lights -- at the top of the hill from the station. I doubt anyone walks up the hill into Williston; they take a cab or get picked up by a family member or a friend.]
Looks like a perfect poll! Maybe later.
But this is absolute craziness. Too racy? Parents need to look at the videos their UND and NDSU children-students are posting on the net. Just saying.
[Actually, looking at the men AND the women, I didn't find much worth objectifying. Whatever that means.]
Actually this was the real disappointment: not one tall Norwegian blond in the group.
I'm talking about the men.
They all looked pretty average young college types.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it was the tagline: "Drinks, dinner, decisions," with a tagline, "Arrive a guest, leave a legend."
Basically, a dumb ad. No different than any urban or college "nightlife" area. If the implied message is "come to North Dakota if you really want to get laid" no one would buy that line.
The ad was incredibly lame -- the tagline AND the photo. [The photo, by they way, looks like something out of the 1950's - not even as recent as recent as the 1960's based on the hair styles -- unless this photo was taken on a military base.]
ReplyDeleteBut according to the story, the Facebook barrage was about the photo, not the tagline. The tagline was not Jersey Shore-esque. It was the photo that was Jersey Shore-esque -- without the Coney Island ferris wheel in the background.
No, this was all about the photo. Most folks on Facebook don't read; they look at photos.
But I do agree with you: the tagline was incredibly lame. But, having listened to more than one out-of-state roughneck talking about his "conquests" while waiting at the Amtrak station tells me that many roughecks are leaving the state as legends -- at least in their own minds. Smile.
Comments about this ad have been all over the social media web sites and blogs. Sounds like they got the ND publicity they wanted and more.
ReplyDeleteHi Bruce they are talking about the MTV show Jersey Shore - which is aimed at teens/college kids. Basic MTV trash. Perhaps you knew that -just making sure.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, I am very, very familiar with MTV Jersey Shore -- through the media in general -- I don't ever recall having actually seen any of the series on television. Although I'm sure I have surfed through it on the way to FOX News or ESPN Sports.
DeleteMy "Jersey Shore" reference was purely intentional and irony.
With regard to getting all the publicity they wanted and more: yes, they have reinforced the image of North Dakota that they were trying to attenuate.
At the link, it is under "national news."
ReplyDeleteSomeone buys the "legend" line.
-
How do ND universities rank as "party schools"? Maybe this is an ad for more out of state students to get a subsidized education in ND. Perhaps the schools will use this ad.
There is no such thing as bad publicity.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that and having first hand knowledge of the social "norm" of the state (conservative, judgemental and gossipy), I will lay odds that the director of tourism has already received an earful (and email inbox full) of "feedback" . None of it in the category of "keep up the good work".
Time to update the old resume? Or turn retirement papers? :)
I was going to say that, also, as a knee-jerk reaction -- "no such thing as bad publicity."
DeleteIn this case, the exception does not prove the rule.
Reinforcing negative biases only reinforces them.
If there is no such thing as bad publicity, then the tourism board might as well as just show photos of North Dakota in the winter.
Isn't Al Gore invention the internet fun? Two of the women appear to have tied back longer hair, not styled hairdos. The tree leaves indicate mid to late summer so it is common for women to tie long hair back.
ReplyDeleteTheir dresses seem higher end Old Navy to mid Gap.
Maybe the director of tourism (or his successor) will ask the legislature for some oil bidness "impact funds"" from the oil related tax infusion so he can hire a real ad agency next time around.
ReplyDeleteSara Otte Coleman, director of the North Dakota Department of Commerce tourism division, is a woman. She has been at the job for many years.
ReplyDeleteIn the West, there is no room at the inns. But, in the East, there is the legendary Red Shore. Plenty of room in the bars and inns.