Jeep Australia deletes ‘sexist’ Facebook post
Jeep Australia today posted a picture on its Facebook page of a scantily clad young woman sitting in a Jeep with a comment some users found to be sexist.
The comment suggested that stripped-off female soldiers could be a benefit of budget cuts to Australia’s defense forces.
The post above the image read: “Defence force budget cuts may not be a bad thing. Surely this Jeep and uniform are less expensive than what is currently used?”
The comments posted beneath the post were mixed in tone, but one complained: “Yuck. How sexist.”
One read: “You just defined your target market. Good bye!”
Another read: “Who let the intern post this one?”
The post was deleted earlier today.
Jeep’s marketing director Sam Tabart, who has overall responsibility for the brand’s Facebook page, had not responded to Mumbrella’s questions at the time of writing.
Once my erection subsides I plan to write a stern letter detailing my moral outrage.
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There’s a difference between sexy and sexist.
The holier-than-thou commenters clearly don’t understand that difference.
Nor do they have a sense of humour. I shudder to think what their personal lives are like.
Please, loosen up and get over yourselves.
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How am I supposed to view a larger version of the photo if they’ve deleted it?
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Image as seen here: http://www.jeepaholics.com/sup.....30891.aspx
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Mike. That’s the problem. One person’s perception of humour is not a good enough measure of the public goodwill toward sexism when shared via a brand that needs to appeal to all.
If this post was on the Zoo Weekly page, we wouldn’t be having this debate. Again.
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It comes down to this: do Jeep want to appeal to a market of women who don’t want to be sexualised?
Sure, their traditional target might be males, but they also produce 4WD vehicles that seem to be more targeted at families, like their Compass model. By posting this photo on Facebook, they may well have alienated the mother of the family, who may in turn decide not to buy their product. Keeping with the Compass as a specific model that declares itself as ‘sophisticated’, this completely ruins any marketing they may have put forward with that brand identity in mind.
These days, if you want to brand as ‘tough’ and ‘blokey’, you’ll restrict your market greatly. Judging by their website and other recent branding, which seems to be leaning towards more of a premium spot in the market, I’d say that’s not the direction they’re trying to take in the current environment. This post has put them in the back foot in that respect.
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Great article. Jesus.
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Have the pearl-clutchers arrived yet?
Oh, they have.
This post by Jeep seems unwise when there is a risk of the vocal claque (above), and incongruous with their otherwise slick branding.
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people upset about the photo just jealous about the chicks rockin bod. Take a joke people gezus.
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“This post has put them in the back foot in that respect.”
No ‘this post’ has given Mumbrella some pageviews but will have zero impact on the brand whatsoever. Let’s not overreact here.
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OK I am old, and therefore my comments are not valid, unless someone wants a scapegoat to wear the collar and mantle of “Dirty Old Man.”
However, here I go. The expression of appreciation for the beauty of another human being is an inalienable right of every living soul. The female body is, in a fairly broad range of appreciation, vastly more beautiful than the body of a man; yet each has its own obvious beauty.
In my personal opinion, as one who genuinely likes women, and as a male heterosexual, there are very few women who miss the boat when it comes to some degree of loveliness.
Sexy, like stunning or beautiful, are expressions of personal opinions which know no gender boundary. Sexy and Sexist are poles apart.
“I would cherish the opportunity to experience the visual beauty of your ample breast” is sexy. “Show us your Tits” is sexist.
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With the Defence budget cuts, attracking new recruits will be a bigger issue
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They’ve got bigger problems than upsetting potential customers. In my experience, they need to focus on their existing customers by improving their after sales service. I took my brand new jeep in for its first service and the jeep dealer killed the engine with a faulty part. Four months later I finally received my jeep back. The irony is that it took far less time (about 2 months) for the car to be built to order, shipped to Australia and delivered.
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Gave me a Scud in my duds.
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… I hear they’re producing a calendar for the workshop too!
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How is that any worse than Philly Cream for Cooking?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-KLc128PmU
Nothing like slapping the bum of a bloke in his white jocks in the kitchen!
I wish users wouldn’t blame the interns, we aren’t allowed to post stuff without social media/accounts/client approval!
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Grow up people.
This is a WW2 jeep.
It is irrelevant.
Could have been a modelling shoot.
Australia becoming a nappy state.
The way we are going we will have to have a sook police for all those people that are offended by little things.
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where is MTR and her horde of shrieking harpies?
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