The government has withdrawn their most recent ad for ‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ after the backlash it received for being sexist.
In this advert women can be seen doing all of the domestic chores and just one single man relaxing on the sofa. Way to be with the times, right. This latest ad indicates that the government don’t listen to the public, they don’t find ways to relate and they don’t understand the modern lives of people within the UK. Not the best thought to have about the people that run the country.
Opinions about the government have been mixed throughout the pandemic and slip ups like this just enhance the negative views people have had about the government’s communication throughout COVID-19. To be taken seriously their ads should be respected by the public and in this case, they will have lost a lot of respect from women across the UK. It is the twenty-first century but the government don’t seem to be living in it.
The government statement stated that it does ‘not represent their views on women,’ but if that was the case why had it been made and approved for use? Someone at the PR firm clearly thought, yes, this will work.
Below is a revised version of the ad by a lady called Kim French, which is fitting for the world we live in now.
If the government want their ads to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus, then they need to make them relevant and representative of everyone. No one is saying women don’t often do the household chores, but the government’s add indicates that it’s ONLY women doing them. I understand that government PR & comms has been difficult over the last year but we aren’t in the 1950s anymore and things have changed.
Let me know what you think of the recent ad in the comments below or by emailing sophsnextstep@gmail.com
