Alexa Cassandra P.

Daiz
PETE- 1101

PERFORMANCE TASK 1: UNETHICAL ADVERTISEMENT

For many years, families relied on men to provide for them, while women took on the
responsibility of caring for the home and children. However, in recent decades, women have begun to
advocate for gender equality, particularly in the workplace. However, one advertising entirely disregards
the societal progress made in recent years by so many powerful women. One of Mr. Clean's 2011
advertisements raises the subject of categorizing women in the role of being responsible for household
duties. This commercial appears in print as well as on social media and online. In it, a mother and her
daughter are seen enthusiastically utilizing a Mr. Clean cleaning sponge. Several women and girls
throughout the world were disappointed when this advertisement was released since it appeared to be
sexiest, which I believe is also one of the reasons why this advertisement is clearly unethical.

To begin, our society has a stereotyped notion that women are responsible for home tasks. And
Mr. Clean advertisement demonstrates this society's typical gender expectations by using the line "This
Mother's Day, get back to the job that really matters," indicating that the message was intended for
women, specifically mothers. Furthermore, tying the cleaning--"the job that really matters"--to the
Mother's Day holiday makes this ad sexist. This is because it associates cleaning with women's housework
even during the holidays. Furthermore, the word "job" implies that a woman's first objective should be to
be a housewife. Using the word "job" implies that women have no choice but to clean and care for the
home. This could be perceived negatively by women and girls around the world who have goals and
ambitions to be anything and everything, and who believe that their efforts to provide for the family are
not worth it, thus only recognizing them as the one who cleans up after others and is responsible for taking
care of the house. Even as a woman, I find it unpleasant to see Mr. Clean dismissing women's efforts over
the past few decades to achieve gender equality. This unethical advertisement might have been avoided
by presenting the ad in a more appropriate manner, such as modifying the text to something more generic
and not simply indicating for "mothers." They could also change the individuals who appear in the
advertisement, who could consist of a full family enthusiastically cleaning the house or a janitor/janitress
whose job is to clean. This manner, social concerns like stereotyping and sexism might be avoided, and
unethical advertising would be reduced.