Society/Culture Has cancel culture gone too far?

[Taylor]

According to Hasbro this is not for marketing purposes.

That is what people do when they use people or political levers as marketing tools.

 

[Chief]

that Hasbro removed pronouns(not that they have completely) in a show of support for gender neutrality (their public statement), yet the argument is they did this for marketing purposes

It can be both. This is the ENTIRE POINT.

 

[bourbons]

Again, point to me where the rebrand was a necessity

The presumption you speak about is only from the few not the majority, please point out the necessity.

Wrong standard (necessity), surely?

ie. I'd imagine the vast majority of marketing decisions could easily not be classified as a 'necessity'. Usually its just about trying to maximise profit.

Just because the marketing team felt it necessary doesn't mean it is / was.

Exactly - like almost every marketing decision ever.

 

[bourbons]

Could've just advertised with probably the same results instead of trying to look politically correct.

Ha, somehow I doubt you'd be making 30 odd posts about the latest Mr Potato Head ad campaign, and neither would articles be written about it.

So was their aim to look politically correct or sell toys or both?

Both. But selling more toys is the driver ie. I assume the theory would be looking politically correct = selling more toys.

 

[bourbons]

I don't care really, I'm just pointing out (because of the thread topic) that Hasbro removed pronouns(not that they have completely) in a show of support for gender neutrality (their public statement), yet the argument is they did this for marketing purposes. So which is it? And why was it necessary? Was it both? If so just tell the public so.

IF Hasbro did this for sales yet publicly state otherwise then that's pissing in your pocket and telling you it's raining. It's being disingenuous using a front of 'look at us we're being politically correct' as a pr stunt to get everyone talking about their product. That seems to be the assumption from everyone defending saying they're doing so for marketing purposes. According to Hasbro this is not for marketing purposes.

Lastly I'll say this, those who want to describe my argument as being 'outraged' or 'doesn't impact me' or the fact that I care, or implying I'm a troll (which I have grounds to report for but won't because that makes me as bad as the poster implying it) - you're assuming emotion from behind a keyboard.

I'm gonna leave it there, I've made my position clear.

lol yeah, coz advertising is usually so honest. The bolded is applicable to almost every touchy feely make-you-feel-good ad for a product ever.

Just a bizzarre take. Companies don't generally publish their internal focus group data, for example. Hasbro owe no-one any explanation as to what inner machinations informed their marketing decisions to maximise profit.

I wouldn't have thought this is particularly complicated. "We want to be inclusive" is probably gonna sell better than "We'd like you to buy more of our s**t please". They can say whatever they like, much like a company selling 'green' or sustainable alternatives will tell you its for the planet, but really its for their bottom line. Its not 'disingenuous', or if it is, no more so than literally a 1000 other ads you could think of.

 

[Frank Bunn]

I'm outraged that Mr. Potatohead comes with an additional piece overr Mrs. Potatohead.

This is further evidence of the systematic gender bias in today's society. Mrs Potato Head should have glasses and a moustache too.

 

[Carringbush2010]

It can be both. This is the ENTIRE POINT.
[/Q

Ha, somehow I doubt you'd be making 30 odd posts about the latest Mr Potato Head ad campaign, and neither would articles be written about it.



Both. But selling more toys is the driver ie. I assume the theory would be looking politically correct = selling more toys.

Of course it's both that's obvious, but state that publicly, don't just piss in everyone's pocket and tell us it's raining. That's disingenuous, by using political correctness and not say you're using it that way. Certainly not necessary either way.

 

[Chief]

Of course it's both that's obvious, but state that publicly, don't just piss in everyone's pocket and tell us it's raining. That's disingenuous, by using political correctness and not say you're using it that way. Certainly not necessary either way.

WHO THE * CARES?

 

[The Passenger]

I work in marketing.

I can confirm it is easier to sell a Potato Head toy to little girls when it is called Potato Head toy and not Mr. Potatohead toy.

Same as it is easier to sell a Transformer toy to a little boy when it is not called Mrs. Transformer toy.

Most people seem to be missing that they are getting played with this issue on so many occasions. The free marketing these companies are getting from the internet outrage crew to mash the keyboard is rolled gold. So many of these moves could be made without any fanfare and hardly anyone would pick up on it but throw out a public statement and watch the rage-shares roll in and suddenly your product is front and centre of public consciousness. Most people wouldn't have even thought of the Potato Head brand for any more than about 5 minutes of the last 20 years - and that would only have been if they have a young kid who is looking at one in a store or they were watching toy story.

 

[Maddhew]

View attachment 1074682

Pretty outrageous I can no longer buy the one on the left. All children deserve to grow up with a transwoman potato toy.

So who got cancelled today?

What’s the 13 piece?

 

[Scotland]

I'm outraged that Mr. Potatohead comes with an additional piece overr Mrs. Potatohead.

Gender potato gap. Female potatoes make only 92% of the parts of male potatoes.

Mr: Potato figure comes with eyes, nose, mouth with teeth, hat, mustache, tongue, pair of glasses, 2 hands, 2 ears and 1 pair of legs with shoes.

Mrs: Potato figure comes with eyes, nose, mouth, purse, hairdo, tongue, 2 hands, 2 ears and 1 pair of legs with shoes.

Pretty outrageous Mrs Potato Head has a mouth without teeth.

 

[bourbons]

Of course it's both that's obvious, but state that publicly, don't just piss in everyone's pocket and tell us it's raining. That's disingenuous, by using political correctness and not say you're using it that way. Certainly not necessary either way.

How is it any different from a company selling 'green' alternative products and leveraging environmental concerns in their advertising or statements? Or a dating app company selling the message that they really want you to find love?

 

[RedStarUncle]

What’s the 13 piece?

A Y-chromosome.

 

[JP Sauce]

Of course it's both that's obvious, but state that publicly, don't just piss in everyone's pocket and tell us it's raining. That's disingenuous, by using political correctness and not say you're using it that way. Certainly not necessary either way.

Nike told me to "just do it" and I was like "thanks for the motivation, Nike"!

Turns out it was just advertising? Why didn't they tell me?!

 

[Carringbush2010]

How is it any different from a company selling 'green' alternative products and leveraging environmental concerns in their advertising or statements? Or a dating app company selling the message that they really want you to find love?

Never said it was different and that's not the point and doesn't make it right.

The point is Hasbro has deliberately come out and claimed PC, woke, whatever you wanna call it in bad faith (if our speculations are correct).

I'm just merely pointing out they're using woke / PC / cancelling (in part) removing the pronouns for pr gain.

And the dumb woke folk will praise them as heroes, while for the rest of us (the majority) it's inadvertently pissing in our pockets and telling us it's raining.

I know everyone's response to this is me yelling at skies, as I've previously stated I'm merely pointing it out.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

Most people seem to be missing that they are getting played with this issue on so many occasions. The free marketing these companies are getting from the internet outrage crew to mash the keyboard is rolled gold. So many of these moves could be made without any fanfare and hardly anyone would pick up on it but throw out a public statement and watch the rage-shares roll in and suddenly your product is front and centre of public consciousness. Most people wouldn't have even thought of the Potato Head brand for any more than about 5 minutes of the last 20 years - and that would only have been if they have a young kid who is looking at one in a store or they were watching toy story.

I doubt it's that valuable.

 

[Carringbush2010]

Nike told me to "just do it" and I was like "thanks for the motivation, Nike"!

Turns out it was just advertising? Why didn't they tell me?!

Not sure what your point is, certainly not relevant to Hasbro's use of woke / pc in bad faith.

 

[Ghost Patrol]

Not sure what your point is, certainly not relevant to Hasbro's use of woke / pc in bad faith.

Are you a religious person? If no, why bring up faith?

 

[JP Sauce]

Not sure what your point is, certainly not relevant to Hasbro's use of woke / pc in bad faith.

It's like you've never heard of branding, marketing, advertising, etc. before.

 

[raskolnikov]

It's funny when people like Martin Iles and Lyle Shelton criticise woke and cancel culture. Christianity invented cancel culture. Rock music? That's of the devil. Ban. Dancing? That's of the devil. Ban. Harry Potter? That's of the devil. Ban. I could go on.

 

[bourbons]

Never said it was different and that's not the point and doesn't make it right.

The point is Hasbro has deliberately come out and claimed PC, woke, whatever you wanna call it in bad faith (if our speculations are correct).

I'm just merely pointing out they're using woke / PC / cancelling (in part) removing the pronouns for pr gain.

And the dumb woke folk will praise them as heroes, while for the rest of us (the majority) it's inadvertently pissing in our pockets and telling us it's raining.

I know everyone's response to this is me yelling at skies, as I've previously stated I'm merely pointing it out.

Fair enough. Seems like your issue is more with marketing in general than this instance in particular, reckon that boat has sailed lol.

 

[bourbons]

It's like you've never heard of branding, marketing, advertising, etc. before.

This

 

[Carringbush2010]

Fair enough. Seems like your issue is more with marketing in general than this instance in particular, reckon that boat has sailed lol.

You know it's not 'marketing', it's a company using PC / woke in bad faith to make em look good - and that in turn just gives ammo to the stupid woke people to come up with more impractical cancellations on 'feels for the minority'.

Like I said right at the start of this discussion, no biggie, just pointing out the unnecessary stupidity.

 

[Scotland]

It's funny when people like Martin Iles and Lyle Shelton criticise woke and cancel culture. Christianity invented cancel culture. Rock music? That's of the devil. Ban. Dancing? That's of the devil. Ban. Harry Potter? That's of the devil. Ban. I could go on.

I agree, but I don't think the answer to cancel culture is more cancel culture. The wheel will turn again and we will just end up with the conservative fringe doing the banning. Is that what people want? Wouldn't have thought so. I would've thought a society where people don't demand everything they don't like is banned is preferable.

 

[bourbons]

You know it's not 'marketing', it's a company using PC / woke in bad faith to make em look good - and that in turn just gives ammo to the stupid woke people to come up with more impractical cancellations on 'feels for the minority'.

Like I said right at the start of this discussion, no biggie, just pointing out the unnecessary stupidity.

I'd argue that the 'making em look good' part is the marketing.

You consider that 'bad faith', I just consider it marketing. All good.