Jezebel 
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New York, 5:14 PM
Sat Nov 21
50 posts in the last 24 hours
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04:41 PM
04:32 PM
"Hoisted with their own petard! Victory is MINE!"
05:12 PM
04:13 PM
03:14 PM
No.
02:59 PM
So their shitty commercial actually didn't acquire them a customer who would most likely have purchased.
Wooo!
02:05 PM
02:03 PM
But then it became sexualized. It's like--why sexualize it? They can be creepy without being sexually creepy. In fact chemical residue on one's shower is creepy enough without having them harass you while you shower. It's just that this serves a double purpose: on the one hand, it sexualizes the issue and allows for a prurient, voyeuristic pleasure in seeing a woman naked and humiliated (see also: mainstream heterosexual pornography), and since sex/sexiness sells, it makes those who enjoy sexualized humiliation of women pay attention. It then also plays on women's fears of sexual harassment and peeping toms. Every time I read about a landlord who put a camera in his tenants' bathrooms or bedrooms, I get creeped out, and sometimes when I'm showering these (all too frequent) news stories pop into my brain. This makes women to associate the scariness of that violation with the scariness of chemicals. But they went too far, I think, for this to be effective--it crossed a line and went into too obvious a sexualized humiliation, which just ended up discrediting the advertiser. Note, I am not saying that if they had played on these fears but not crossed some line it would have been ok; regardless of whether it went too far for a mainstream audience, I think playing on women's fears of sexual violation for the purpose of selling some shit is immoral, and it minimizes actual sexual violation. The only time it's acceptable to use sexual violence metaphors is when referring to colonization (the British raped India, taking its resources and leaving an indelible imprint of its own colonization in the psyche of the nation) or global warming (oil companies have no problem raping the earth), because both of those scenarios, like sexual violence, are often not taken seriously as problems social and personal, and are truly heinous acts of violence and greed and entitlement. Using it for anything less than that plays into rape culture. This commercial, no doubt, plays into rape culture.
BUT! I agree with it's overall intended message. And I would like to take this opportunity to advocate for an end to harsh chemical cleansers! I am a germ freak and pure white vinegar (or mixed with a bit of rubbing alcohol) kills germs like a mofo, and if you use some baking soda is scours really well without being abrasive, and it also fizzes delightfully, and also no breathing in harsh chemicals, and if your pet licks it they won't die. I have found that vinegar is also better at cleaning my sink than other grocery store cleaners. And also way cheaper. And rubbing alcohol can clean glass and mirrors. And mineral oil can polish wood. And water + tea tree oil can be sprayed after every shower to prevent mold. Tea tree oil, vinegar, and baking soda are my holy trinity of cleaning products.
01:55 PM
They really had to drag it on like that, didn't they?
01:55 PM
02:00 PM
(Admittedly, my tub hasn't been cleaned recently enough to have any shiny scrubbers lurking about. But still.)
01:32 PM
ETA: I think the worst bit to me is that it's supposed to be FUNNY. Harassment like this is a common thing for many women, it is not fun nor humorous.
01:49 PM
01:50 PM
But the entire freaking shower scene with the Bill O'Reilly-specific harassment and the bubbles' voices getting all turned on? That was completely unnecessary and added nothing to the point of the commercial at all. Har har harassment!
01:32 PM
......Wait.
11/13/09
If a man changed my sheets on a weekly basis, I would GLADLY make extra sure they needed it each time.
It really comes down to the attitude and willingness, doesn't it? #pinesol
11/13/09
11/13/09
Sometimes I want to fucking murder him. I scrub the kitchen, go to work, come home to find that the little piggy has been to work, and the little piggy not understanding why he's a little piggy.
The unemployed piggy is supposed to be cleaning the oven today and vacuming the living room. The little piggy better do it.
Thank you for letting me call him a little piggy sixteen times. That feels good. #pinesol
11/13/09
Piggy. #pinesol
11/13/09
My sis's musician husband used to pitch a fit when she'd hire someone to clean (she's in finance and works incredibly stressful 60 hour weeks and he plays TWO GIG PER WEEK MAX), but he'd never actually do it.
She's hired someone permanently and told him he has to STFU or do it himself. After all, she's the breadwinner. And they're both kinda piggies about housework. #pinesol
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11/13/09
I also happen to think his dishpan hands are pretty sexy. I always did like a workin' man's hands... #pinesol
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