This commercial for German online lingerie store Liaison Dangereuse is getting a lot of buzz, and while watching it, I had several thoughts:
(Go ahead and check it out first, so you can see what we're discussing here. I'll wait.)
First of all, I think the ad is pretty effective: You know exactly what's being sold and what it looks like; the clip is memorable.
But is it "empowering to women," as Copyranter claims? That's debatable. You could view the woman in the commercial as confident and self-assured; or you could see her as the embodiment of a Western stereotype: The vixen under the veil. On AdFreak she's called an "exotic hottie."
In addition, some Muslims (or likewise modest people) would certainly be offended by the ad since the model appears bare-bottomed, briefly.
We don't know much about the woman in the commercial; she could live in anywhere. But since there is a campaign to lift the ban on women selling lingerie in Saudi Arabia, the commercial actually addresses a genuine issue (even if it wasn't intentional). But will viewers get that? Or do they just see an "exotic hottie" in a stylish undies ad?
Social Statement Via Unmentionables Ad [Animal]
Lingerie That Goes With Practically Any Outfit [AdFreak]
Earlier: Saudi Women Trained To Sell Underwear
Boy-Cott: Male Lingerie Salesmen Not Helping Modesty, Say Saudi Women