Dr Pepper’s ‘not for women’ ad: Clever or offensive?
The soft-drink maker’s new ad fails to be polarizing and intelligent at the same time, argues this PR pro.
Hello there. You look a little parched. Could you use some refreshment? How about a Dr Pepper Ten to cool you down?
Oh wait, sorry ladies. You’ll need to go powder your nose or re-vacuum the stairs. This extreme beverage is only for men—no women allowed. I know because it says so right in the advertisement.
As you might imagine, the angle Dr Pepper chose for the 10-calorie diet soda drink has ruffled quite a few feathers. OK, it’s ruffled a lot of feathers.
Like those of my co-worker who angrily forwarded the video to everyone in the office, or Steve Hall who explained why we can’t swallow the joke. Or the AP, Village Voice, and the women leaving snarky comments all over the Dr Pepper Facebook page.
It’s kind of a mess.
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