This is the sixth year that WIZO has named tv and print ads that depict women in a negative or derogatory fashion.
By LIDAR GRAVÉ-LAZIHalutza olive oil campaign (photo credit: HALUTZA OLIVE OIL CAMPAIGN)
Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO) announced its top 10 list for the most sexist advertisements of the year on Wednesday.This is the sixth year that WIZO has named television and print advertisements that depict women in a negative or derogatory fashion. The “Mark of Shame” campaign’s aim is to lead to a change in the presentation of the female figure in advertising and to raise awareness of the social damage advertisements can cause when negatively exploiting the female body image. Among those making this year’s top 10 list are a Carolina Lemke sunglasses television ad featuring Israeli supermodel Bar Rafaeli dancing provocatively with bunny ears; Aldo shoe chain print ads; an Israel Postal Service commercial in which an elderly woman encourages a robber to search her body while seemingly enjoying the aggressive and violent act; billboards for "Haluza" olive oil depicting a woman wearing revealing clothing and picking olives; and Time Out’s campaign advertisement to raise awareness of rape drugs with the slogan, "look out for your glass."This is the second time one of Bar Rafaeli's advertisements has made the list, the prior being her television campaign for Mei Eden’s (Eden Water) water bar in which she was provocatively sprawled on a kitchen counter with the slogan, “everyone wants a [water] Bar like this in their kitchen. The organization will announce this year's winner to receive the "Mark of Shame" award at an event at the Cinematheque in Tel Aviv next week which will address the impact of sexist advertising on youth. The event will be attended by Knesset Chairwoman of the Committee on the Status of Women MK Dr. Aliza Lavie, MK Michal Rozin (Meretz), and Chairwoman of WIZO Israel Gila Oshrat.Last year's “mark of shame” was given to the government television campaign, "Everyone brings one [person]" by the Tourism Ministry starring actress Noa Tishbi, calling on Israelis to invite people from all over the world to visit Israel.“Today we see pornographic representations everywhere that once access to them was limited. Campaigns focusing on the 'twerking' movement, provocative selfies on social networks, and offensive clips on MTV - have become a normative part of our life and there is no doubt this dishonors us as a society and distorts the perception of sexuality among youth,” said Sharon Cherkesky, manager of the Mark of Shame campaign at WIZO.A jury comprised of members of Knesset, professional women, and experts on feminism and media including MK Michal Rozin, Prof Hanna Herzog, head of the Women and Gender Program at Tel Aviv University, and Orit Sulitzeanu, head of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (ARCCI).The committee reviewed hundreds of thousands of advertising campaigns prior to selecting their top 10 list.
