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Lowenna Waters
Oct 10, 2018
Picture:
fizkes / iStock Getty
A hotel has been forced to remove an advert that's been branded 'sexist', after it received a huge backlash online.
The advert, for the Sofitel Hotel in Brisbane, Australia, featured a couple wearing bathrobes sitting in bed enjoying a continental breakfast of pastries, a fruit platter, and coffee.
However, eagle-eyed Twitter users were quick to point out the 'sexist' nature of the couple's reading material.
The man in the photograph is pictured reading the Australian Financial Review, while the woman is seen clutching a Chanel coffee table book, presumably about fashion.
Twitter users Ingrid Svendsen noticed the advert, and posted a picture of it to her Twitter account, accompanied by the caption:
He reads the Financial Review. She peruses a fashion mag. Who dreams up and approves this stuff @SofitelBrisbane?
He reads the Financial Review. She peruses a fashion mag. Who dreams up and approves this stuff @SofitelBrisbane?… https://t.co/nB4drSv5zD— ingridsvendsen (@ingridsvendsen) 1538809554
Others were quick to point out the stereotypical nature of the models' reading material.
Some women said they're more interested in the financial review.
@ingridsvendsen @MeritaTabain @SofitelBrisbane Funnily enough I actually prefer reading @FinancialReview in the morning 😊— Zora Artis, GAICD SCMP (@Zora Artis, GAICD SCMP) 1538822739
Hi @SofitelBrisbane, your breakfast looks delicious! Hey and just wanted to let you know I’m a woman and I also rea… https://t.co/KLx1yQMugH— Elizabeth Redman (@Elizabeth Redman) 1538944214
Others were simply shocked.
@ingridsvendsen @SofitelBrisbane Staggering isn’t it!— Merita Tabain (@Merita Tabain) 1538819036
@elizabethredman @SarahRubyWrites @SofitelBrisbane @FinancialReview Cringeworthy...— Dr Eileen Webb (@Dr Eileen Webb) 1538965838
And also disheartened.
@elizabethredman @SofitelBrisbane @FinancialReview JESUS, is that a Chanel coffee table book? This is... so disheartening.— Renee Pope-Munro (@Renee Pope-Munro) 1538957286
And of course, the woman is 'watching her waistline'.
@elizabethredman @PatsKarvelas @SofitelBrisbane @FinancialReview Of course the fruit platter is on her side, she'd… https://t.co/6qhAG2tcWy— Kumi Taguchi | 田口久実 (@Kumi Taguchi | 田口久実) 1538957705
Well, at least the man has the book the right way up, we guess.
@elizabethredman @oldlillipilli @SofitelBrisbane @FinancialReview At least the man in the Sofitel ad reading the ne… https://t.co/rGETtf1QFV— Dr. Jillian Carroll (@Dr. Jillian Carroll) 1538973566
Others picked up on the Mad Men vibes.
@elizabethredman @SofitelBrisbane @FinancialReview Looks like an ad straight out of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce #MadMen— Ron Erdos (@Ron Erdos) 1538960385
In response to the criticism, a spokesperson for Sofitel Hotels said:
There was no intention of portraying a stereotype, but we recognise it and apologise for any offence that it has caused.
The creative has since been pulled from any future communications activity.
HT LadBible
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