Saw it on twitter last night, thought ooh she's pretty, might have even zoomed in a bit, also saw STW tweeting about the 70's or something in reference to it.
I refuse to get all high and mighty about it now because I'd be a massive hypocrite.
Advertisers have always used attractive people to promote their wares and probably always will because it works - if it stops working they'll stop.
haven't seen the ad, skimmed the linked article, images blocked:
to create pictures that were objectifying and would satisfy the male gaze at it’s very worst. This was no accident, and we fail to believe the company have succeeded in an ideological 360 in the last 24 hours.
The "male gaze at it’s very worst" is the gaze that's drawn to physically attractive women?
Not the gaze that's draws some to murder, domestic violence or child abuse?
And a "360" leaves you pointing in the same direction.
Not saying that the advert was right, or it shouldn't be criticised, but if you're going to criticise it, do it sensibly or people won't take you seriously.
Edit - re read it (still not seen the ad!) most of it is quite sensible. I just skimmed the conclusion, which isn't, really.
yawn.. she's tidy.
She's very nice.
What was the question?
i Know amazing a good looking model, whatever next ?
They shoudl not have done it they have apologised and they hopefully wont do it again
Lets all move on even the knuckle draggers.
The "male gaze" is an academic term which means how media, film and visual content around us (such as ads) is structured around a masculine viewer. In general, media culture serves our interests rather than women's.
(I'm presuming you are male)
saxabar - that does ring bells. But I wouldn't expect it's so widely used and understood that it could be used in an article like this without some confusion.
Groundhog day. Thought it odd though that Total Womens Cycling chose to show 3 images in their complaint article.
my god, a company in using models to advertise products shocker. these bloggers have no life.
It's just a bit shit. My 7 year old daughter rides in one of their helmets. If she saw that picture she wouldn't understand it. To her, knee pads are for stopping you hurting yourself when you're riding your bike. Why would you wear them with no clothes on, sitting on a step?
I guess these days we're seeing more examples of companies who are willing to exchange part of their profit margin for ethics. Ethics is an increasingly effective marketing tool in itself, although obviously I'm aware that the 'sex sells' option will deliver bigger profits for less effort.
Disappointed to see 661 taking the easy route.
shame they didn't get outraged a year ago when the picture first appeared, the 'i've only just seen this and am appalled' aspect of it kind of takes the edge off
still, an interesting example of how social media works and the positive aspects it can have
I am just glad Adele Mitchell wears fox.
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With all the amazing female role models in mountain biking these days they get some random model to get her kit off is ridiculous.
Sponsor an up and coming rider, get them to wear your pads and win something ffs.
I get really grumpy with this shit as a dad of a young girl.
Very nice.
I can hear the professionally offended wringing their hands from here though.
At least the mag toned down the photo chosen for their lip balm article(edit: that might be as simple as the crass photos that appear next to article lags on here too and outside (?) their control) and the article about why riding with women is better was just tongue in cheek 😉
Still too late in the day for cappuccino
"Considerably bigger [s]buns[/s] pads" ..... 😉
"Professionally Offended" 😀
Didn't take long. A term often used by knuckle draggers.
I am more offended by the use of the word stoked in their apology.
I think its pretty poor as well.
Apart from the obvious sexist element its just bloody lazy.
Can't be arsed coming up with some original marketing? Don't worry a chick with her kit off will save you the bother of trying too hard to be creative.
Knuckle draggers
Didn't take long. A term often used by The professionally offended.
"Professionally Offended"
More like "Permanently Offended" 😉
So, are we to accept that NO ONE who is in least bit attractive is allowed to be used in any form of advertising, and never in any way that is believed to be OT (off topic)?
Does that also mean that attractive newsreaders/TV weather-folk etc are also banned?
PC bo**ocks!
If 661 is aimed at rednecks I'd say they have it spot-on.
Saying that, while I am fully in favour of equality, I really don't like the word 'empower' either. I'm sure the final para of the article could use phrases such as 'support female athletes' or 'provide positive role models' to far better effect.
Not offended, just disappointed.
So, are we to accept that NO ONE who is in least bit attractive is allowed to be used in any form of advertising, and never in any way that is believed to be OT (off topic)?
I feel the point is being missed.
Who was giving jivehoney a kicking over his use of the term girl on the cricketers thread.
[img] 
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Must be a girls bike. It's pink.
In
Before
The
Straw
Man
Glad to see the front garden's been strimmed.
chip - Member
Knuckle draggers
Can't even make their own posts up.
Glad to see the front garden's been strimmed.
How can you tell, she's clearly wearing shorts.
This again....
Let's have some more noise from the "It doesn't matter sexualising female bodies to sell stuff - because the women doing it are empowered, even if it perpetuates a view of women that is unhealthy for society and maintains a discourse that women are the lower-status sexual playthings of men - but I don't care because I love tits and that's all that matters." school.
Do you [i]really[/i] have the energy to go through all this again?!
Nope.
Thank God; you pass the 'normal person' test 🙂
Has the Assos lady been made redundant?
Apart from the obvious sexist element its just bloody lazy.
how is it sexist?
Anyone care to cross reference the supporters in this thread, with the outraged about misogyny types in my cologne sex attackers thread? To see how many hypocritical cockwombles there are in this thread?
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Can a technologically literate person create one of those crowd funding pages so that we can buy Jezza some of these nice knee pads to go with his new bike?
Anyone care to cross reference the supporters in this thread, with the outraged about misogyny types in my cologne sex attackers thread? To see how many hypocritical cockwombles there are in this thread?
Please explain this comment for the hard of thinking. I don't see the connection with this image and group sexual assault or sexual assault in general.
Well, I think it's sexist.
Who has said this? Who has even hinted at this? What makes you think this is what people are discussing?So, are we to accept that NO ONE who is in least bit attractive is allowed to be used in any form of advertising, and never in any way that is believed to be OT (off topic)?
As above. You dont really seem to have grasped the issues being discussed even remotelyDoes that also mean that attractive newsreaders/TV weather-folk etc are also banned?
Wow sounds like someone is offended to me ...do you do this professionally ?PC bo**ocks!
And rapists tend to be sexist, slippery slope and all that. 😆 One minute you might be shouting about your right to oggle some birds tits on a singletrack add, the next minute you might be wearing a Keffiyeh and buying underage sex slaves.
I mean, is it ok if it's only less damaging to your daughters as opposed to not at all?
What's wrong with being sexy?
Northwind - Member
What's wrong with being sexy?
Nothing. I am the living embodiment of sexy.
It's a lazy advert to appeal to hormonal teenage gnarcore types
They've gotta sell their goods somehow, and based on my experience of their kit naked women is better than being honest and saying "yeah it looks nice but will fall apart after a few rides*"
*ive had 661 shorts, gloves and shoes,
With all the amazing female role models in mountain biking these days they get some random model to get her kit off is ridiculous.
I totally agree. They could have got a female mtb role model to get her kit off instead.
Tom_W1987 - Member
Anyone care to cross reference the supporters in this thread, with the outraged about misogyny types in my cologne sex attackers thread? To see how many hypocritical cockwombles there are in this thread
I largely avoided that thread as I couldn't be arsed with the arguments.
What are they selling?
Nahh ... overpriced.
Anyone who wears knee pads is a bit of a girl anyway so it sort of fits 😉
I totally agree. They could have got a female mtb role model to get her kit off instead.
[url= https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=niki+gudex+mtb&tbm=isch&imgil=dIYUek4kjX2ipM%253A%253BMHn97xk-v-ZqTM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.pinterest.com%25252Fpin%25252F106608716149840510%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=dIYUek4kjX2ipM%253A%252CMHn97xk-v-ZqTM%252C_&biw=1366&bih=610&usg=__sY95cIaJgO_dlqSqzFZ3Mh28YWk%3D&ved=0ahUKEwiejZPO8qzKAhVDVBQKHT5fBBUQyjcILQ&ei=lnaZVp7qKcOoUb6-kagB#imgrc=_&usg=__sY95cIaJgO_dlqSqzFZ3Mh28YWk%3D ]Bin dun[/url]
Still, at least she didn't have to do the laundry.
FFS if they're that clean just wear them again.
Only bot men wear knee pads anyway
Marketing success surely? We're all talking about 661 so a massive win for them really. If we're talking about it here, so will the other cycling forums. It'll be on Facebook. People will be Googling the images and the articles, clicking on the 661 site to see what else is there.
Headline news. Attractive person used in advertising. Wow.
Good on her to be honest.
I went for the audition but apparently a naked, 40 something, overweight man wasn't the demographic they were going for.
Biggots.
I've decided to go with Maxxis' offer instead anyway.
If you are really offended by the pictures don't buy 661 products. That'll learn em!
Actually it probably won't because the majority of 661's potential customers will think "pretty girl, cool knee pads" and buy their products.
The more the PC brigade bleat about it, the more publicity it will get and the marketing campaign will be deemed a success.
Sex sells. Doesn't matter if it's David Beckham in his pants or a beautiful model with knee pads on.
According to Mrs 24k, David Beckham in his pants is [u]totally[/u] different. That just about proves the whole Venus and Mars thing 🙄
Just sad and lazy, the worst bit is it could be just a get outrage, apologies then live on the publicity...
What is most sad and lazy is the notion that a picture in an advert somehow makes people think it's OK to be sexist. That's simply wrong.
If you eradicate images like this the sexists will still be there and the dickheads who make sexist comments will also still be dickheads and make the same comments.
The picture is not a problem, sexism is.
The only problem I have is that its pretty shit. bland photography, no half naked sports person being used and no bike in shot. The pictures just arn't relevant to the sport. They should have gone the whole hog and used a big busty model with curves rather than some skinny one.
+36
Surely the issue with this one is that there wouldn't have been the same visual "pun" if it had been a guy.
yes bit some of us are sayong what a binch odf sexst bastards wich one woud assue is not the message they want to win.We're all talking about 661 so a massive win for them really.
You did read their retraction where they don't seem to be taking it as win what with the apology and all that.
The only problem I have is that its pretty shit. bland photography, no half naked sports person being used and no bike in shot. The pictures just arn't relevant to the sport. They should have gone the whole hog and used a big busty model with curves rather than some skinny one.
How does it compare with that shocking picture of a naked/photoshopped Pendleton on her Trek. As this article noted, there wasn't a hint of grease or road muck on her. Appalling....
Blah blah blah who is in least bit attractive is allowed to be used in any form of advertising, and never in any way that is believed to be OT (off topic)?
Yes, that's exactly what is being suggested.
whats wrong with being sexy?
Sex[i]ist[/i], Nigel, sex[i]ist[/i]
How does it compare with that shocking picture of a naked/photoshopped Pendleton on her Trek.
I wasn't a fan of that, but you could argue that it's a an ironic statement - by a top cyclist acting out one of these brainless model shoots, she's drawing attention to how ridiculous they are. Maybe.
Well, I think it's sexist.
you don't understand the meaning of the word
these brainless model shoots
you're a moron aren't you
Please explain this comment for the hard of thinking. I don't see the connection with this image and group sexual assault or sexual assault in general.
I think the general idea is "culturally defective Muslims get all hot and bothered about bare flesh and can't control themselves, so therefore can't be allowed in swimming pools" and at the same time "we otherwise perfect white boys get all hot and bothered about a 661 ad and can't relate to women as equals".
But I could have misunderstood.
I wasn't a fan of that, but you could argue that it's a an ironic statement - by a top cyclist acting out one of these brainless model shoots, she's drawing attention to how ridiculous they are. Maybe.
Or maybe it was VP justifiably proud of her body.
Just sad and lazy, the worst bit is it could be just a get outrage, apologies then live on the publicity...
... as thoughtfully provided by STW, reproducing the pic. Nothing to do with clickbait, oh no ....
Get your tits out for the pads.
*sigh*
No kneed for that.
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If it were akin to the 70's she'd actually have her tits out. Are were really that sexually repressed nowadays that we have to get in a froth about a bit of bare skin and a pretty lady being used in advertising? God help any of you that might actually turn the TV on.
(laments the loss of the Big D peanuts card on the wall behind the bar)
behind the bat
Really? We used to have them in the pub.
laments the loss of the Big D peanuts card
[url= http://www.bigdnuts.co.uk/swfs/cardgame.html ]Big D haven't gone anywhere[/url]
The lasses on the card DD's have though 😆
Did you follow that link?
