Hotel Criticised For Sexist Ad Featuring Young Couple in Bed, Apologises and Pulls Down

Advertisement of a Brisbane hotel featuring a young couple having breakfast in bed has garnered criticism on social media. The ad shows a man and woman in their bathrobes sitting next to each other in bed with breakfast in front of them. While the ad looks harmless, it is the reading materials in the man and woman's hand that led to the outrage on Twitter.

People pointed out that the while the man was reading a newspaper, especially an Australian Financial Review, the woman holds a Chanel coffee table book. Twitterati was quick to point out the disparity in the ad and called out the hotel for stereotyping women. Women on the internet said ad makers should realise that women also read newspapers and not just flip pages from a coffee book. Ad Featuring Viral Distracted Boyfriend Meme is Sexist; Rules Sweden's Advertising Ombudsman.

Elizabeth Redman, a reporter at The Australian, called out the Brisbane hotel on Twitter, saying "your breakfast looks delicious… just wanted to let you know I’m a woman and I also read the Financial Review every day". YouTube Children’s Song ‘Baby Shark’ Slammed Over Sexist Lyrics in Korean Version (Watch Video)

Here is the ad that caused the outrage:

Sofitel apologised on Twitter and mentioned that the creative has been pulled down from their future activity. Here is the tweet:

Following the incident, the hotel took down the advertisement from all their communications activity. The ad for Sofitel hotel in Brisbane was featured in Fairfax's Good Weekend magazine. A spokesman for the hotel chain 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."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 09, 2018 09:35 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).