Monday, October 12, 2009
Before you score, remember, you are an asshole!
Pepsi, in all of its corporate genius glory, has decided to promote its new AMP energy drink with an iPhone app called "AMP Up Before You Score". Now before you go worrying to yourself, "Damn, I wish that I had some sort of technological advantage to scoring with women and categorizing them in offensive and stereotypical ways to my advantage." Now you don't have to, Pepsi has done it for you!
They have decided, I am sure in some scientific manner, on a simple process on how best to score with the ladies. Step one: Identify her type. They have identified 24 different types of women that a man might be interested in. That is right ladies, we all apparently fall into one of these types. Including, much to the chagrin I am sure of the execs that had to come up with this the "Women's Studies Major" and the "Nerd" (see link for full list of types). What is even better is that they have also have the types "Married" and the "Rebound Girl", cause what they should really be promoting is people cheating on their spouses and also that women are disposable and can be used as a rebound tool. Nice Pepsi, real nice. Using the type that you have just id'd you then click on it and get to learn all sorts of awesome facts about that type of girl that will help your score with her. Aren't stereotypes fun boys and girls?
Step two: Keep a list. That's right, you get to keep a brag list of all the chicks you have bagged using your awesome new technique, including name, date, and whatever details you remember.
And then my favorite step of all. Step three: Brag. You can keep your buddies up-to-date on your latest conquests via email, facebook, or twitter using this app. Isn't that just lovely?
All told, this app feeds into all that is wrong with our culture. It is misogynistic and insulting to both women and men. And don't even get my started on how heterocentric it is. I mean seriously Pepsi, WTF?
Article on the release of AMP
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
Well I'm definitely getting an iPhone now.
Lighten up!... just look at the other iPhone apps available that categorize men into 4 types, and 3 of them are negative ;p
I think most of your criticisms of the game are valid, although I feel this application falls more into the silly category as opposed to being worthy of scorn for perpetuating stereotypes, as clearly the whole premise is somewhat tongue in cheek. It is a piece of trash but nothing to get riled up about.
I cannot, however, abide you taking issue with with the fact that it is heterocentric. The app store is a highly targeted marketplace and by no means is it necessary to be inclusive of all sexual orientations or lifestyles. This is an app for straight male lunkheads. There are also apps such as Gay Cities, Inc. which aids homosexuals to find gay-friendly locations such as bars, restaurants, and hotels when visiting unfamiliar cities. Is this too homocentric for your worldview?
As Hotstuff's mom and as a very independent woman who grew up and had to fight to be recognized in business for her abilities and intelligence rather than just her looks, I was appalled by this app. It may be silly but reminds me of the times when women were only recognized as second class to men. Even Pepsi has now recognized they may have made a mistake. Their apology was twittered today; http://twitter.com/AMPwhatsnext/status/4814953081
For a more indepth discussion of Pepsi's response to the backlash please look at this article in Advertising Age http://adage.com/article?article_id=139633
Yeah, Hotstuff's Mom
i liked these 2 comments:
"Maybe my opinion doesn't count, seeing as I'm a woman and apparently only good for sleeping with and bragging about, but I'm completely offended by your horrifyingly misogynistic Amp Up Before You Score Ap. Beyond being a pitiful piece of advertising, and condescending even to men, I can't believe that a giant corporation would ever EVER think it was appropriate to promote a drink by categorizing women into 24 easy-to-sleep-with groups. But I'm just a women's studies major, so this is probably just my shrill and humorless inability to understand why my objectification is hilarious. I hope your Brag List stays short. I'm sure it will."
"It sounds like someone needs to make an app that detects this app on nearby phones and then loudly announces, "this douchebag thinks his phone is better with the ladies than he is!"
and i think it's worth of scorn and outrage. -treehugger/nerd/athlete(?)
Post a Comment