Increasing sex content on ads

[Hopkins Medicine]

I'm 40 years old and I'm going on an old man rant here for a few minutes.

In the "good old days" the sex related commercials were reserved for late hours. Now, they are all day, every day, even on "kids" programming stations.

Here's a few examples I have seen recently:

1. KY jelly advertisement urging couples to "get it on" during a commercial break at 5:30 PM ABC evening news.

2. Trojan condom ads on ESPN during intermission of NBA game tonight. (approx 7 PM)

3. Cialis commercial on at 2 PM on Saturday after Phineas/Ferb show on Disney channel

4. Adam & Eve sex toy commercial on NBC during Olympics coverage (approx 7 to 8 PM)

If I had older teenagers then it wouldn't bother me, but it would be nice if I could watch sports, news, or kids shows with my 8 year old without having to constantly switch stations or mute the TV.

Old man rant over.

 

[Nolomite]

I'm 40 years old and I'm going on an old man rant here for a few minutes.

On this board, you are pretty young

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Also, the big "Have Great Sex Again!" ED clinic ads in the sports section, complete with the half-dressed woman with the come get me look.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

Things have definitely changed. I think the Clinton-Lewinsky chapter was a big factor in expanding what became acceptable content during conventional hours. I mean, when Dan Rather openly talked about oral sex and stains during dinner, well, that was a radical shift from prior practices. Add the internet and a general erosion of traditional values, and, voila, here we are.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Things have definitely changed. I think the Clinton-Lewinsky chapter was a big factor in expanding what became acceptable content during conventional hours. I mean, when Dan Rather openly talked about oral sex and stains during dinner, well, that was a radical shift from prior practices. Add the internet and a general erosion of traditional values, and, voila, here we are.

And here we are, indeed.

 

[NoleMoreTears]

Europe has (for a long time) nude people during regular TV - are their "traditional values" eroding?

 

[EconSean]

Europe has (for a long time) nude people during regular TV - are their "traditional values" eroding?

Nudity need not be sexualized. I think that’s the difference in “values.” The body is the body, nude or clothed.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

Europe has (for a long time) nude people during regular TV - are their "traditional values" eroding?

If Europe has “for a long time” shown nudity on TV, that would suggest to me that it is part of their “traditional values.” The point here is that American television content is changing, which I think is hard to dispute. Would be interested to hear why you think this change is happening in the USA. Thanks.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Europe has (for a long time) nude people during regular TV - are their "traditional values" eroding?

There's no doubt the traditional mores and values here are more prudish than in many parts of the world.

 

[NoleLizards]

There's no doubt the traditional mores and values here are more prudish than in many parts of the world.

OP: I see such things and am glad I no longer have very young children. I can just imagine the questions parents in that situation have to answer constantly (even just walking through the grocery check-out line).

 

[DFSNOLE]

OP: I see such things and am glad I no longer have very young children. I can just imagine the questions parents in that situation have to answer constantly (even just walking through the grocery check-out line).

Thing is, if these things weren't considered wrong in some way but instead were just part of every day life, would they generate those questions?

 

[Fijimn]

There's no doubt the traditional mores and values here are more prudish than in many parts of the world.

Kind of the reason they landed on Plymouth Rock.

 

[GoNolesTX]

There's no doubt the traditional mores and values here are more prudish than in many parts of the world.

It's what we get for being on top of that hill.

 

[GoNolesTX]

If not for #4 in the OP, I'd suggest that we see a common thread in management company/ownership.

And also, your fault for turning on the four letter network.

 

[MIKE_G]

OP: I see such things and am glad I no longer have very young children. I can just imagine the questions parents in that situation have to answer constantly (even just walking through the grocery check-out line).

Eh. It's called parenting. I look at it as an opportunity to address important topics.

 

[NoleLizards]

Eh. It's called parenting. I look at it as an opportunity to address important topics.

Like "finding the g-spot" on the front of Cosmo?

 

[MIKE_G]

Like "finding the g-spot" on the front of Cosmo?

Somebody would have to explain that to me before I could explain it to them.

 

[NoleLizards]

Somebody would have to explain that to me before I could explain it to them.

It's the spot only G's can reach.

 

[SoddyNole]

Like "finding the g-spot" on the front of Cosmo?

I have been waiting for the scratch and sniff collectors edition.

 

[NoleLizards]

I have been waiting for the scratch and sniff collectors edition.

It's on a rack next to the sushi bar.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

OP - Worry not. Your kids are likely seeing content that is far more sexually suggestive on the internet, regardless of what sites they visit. If anything, the Trojan commercials are at least promoting safe sex.

I agree w/ DFS, we're rather prudish here. If folks would loosen up a bit things wouldn't seem so taboo and some simple conversations could prevent a lot of issues.

 

[Nole Lou]

I'm not a prude. You can have hardcore pornography on PBS for whatever I care. Just let me know what to expect. What I don't like, as is the situation being mentioned, is the inability to have any control over content because of where it shows up in commercials. People like to say "it's your job as a parent to control what your kids watch!" and I agree. If my kid is watching Cinemax at midnight, whatever they see is on me, not on up to Cinemax or Comcast.

But it is incredibly frustrating to not be able to watch a football game on a Saturday afternoon with child without commercials depicting sex and violence. Very frustrating to be watching a game at 4pm on a Saturday, and then have them advertising Fox shows that run at 10, with explicit sex references and guns pointed at people's heads.

Spare me the "prudish" angle. I'm not talking about trying to prevent a 15 year old from hearing the word "boob". But a 5 year old doesn't need to see gunplay or hear about sex aides on TV at the choice of the advertisers, rather than the parents. Again, I'm not saying don't show it, but if you want to put the responsibility on the parents, you have to at least play fair, and not put these kind of commercials on during daytime and unrelated programming like sports and family shows.

I remember years ago watching Christmas specials with a 4 year old and 2 year old on ABC Family, and in the breaks from Rudolph, they're showing Alias commercials with her stripping and someone trying to stab her in the eye with a syringe. I mean, come one, give us a fighting chance here.

 

[CC0492]

Like "finding the g-spot" on the front of Cosmo?

I think I've found every letter over the years, except G!

 

[Dr. Nole]

I think I've found every letter over the years, except G!

Try being Dyslexic...I get stuck on Q

 

[seminoledq]

To the OP: You're just now getting around to watching the Olympics?

 

[BelemNole]

Couple of things- if your kids are like mine they’re not watching tv anymore. It’s online content on their phones or tablets.
As for the rare instance when they do watch tv and one of these ads come on - they either ignore it like they do 90% of stuff that doesn’t interest them or they ask you what it means...at which point you get to play parent for a few minutes. That means stammering out a mostly bs answer like our folks did - or just yell “go to bed” like my dad did.

 

[ericram]

The ED ads during the national news time (while we are eating dinner) are uber uncomfortable with my 12 year old son around.

 

[Dr. Nole]

...that's not my wallet...

 

[seminoledq]

The ED ads during the national news time (while we are eating dinner) are uber uncomfortable with my 12 year old son around.

Maybe turn off the TV while you eat.

 

[CC0492]

Maybe turn off the TV while you eat.

WHAT? That's just Un-American!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have to watch TV while the family eats in the living room with TV tray tables!

 

[ericram]

Maybe turn off the TV while you eat.

Then I have to listen to my family talk. Feel free to come over and share that burden.

 

[seminoledq]

Then I have to listen to my family talk. Feel free to come over and share that burden.

Ha, you got me there. I don't want to listen to mine either so there's no way I'm listening to someone else's.

 

[NoleMoreTears]

There's no doubt the traditional mores and values here are more prudish than in many parts of the world.

Totally agree. Since we're globalizing and have been for some years now, hard to imagine it going any other way. Unless under a dictatorial regime, cultures rarely become less promiscuous.

 

[SoddyNole]

What no family conversations at the dinner table?

The son fills ever second with each and every though that comes to mind, without stopping. He is quickly told to eat his dinner. Which is only followed by a mouth full of food while talking about each and every thought that comes into his mind. Next is a stern don't talk while you mouth is full while he is talking with his mouth full. The teenage daughter who takes a moment to stop sneering at the wonderment and bliss of the family dinner adding to the conversation of telling her brother to stop talking. The mother quickly comes to the rescue of the one she was scolding only moments before and defenders her youngest against the sudden verbal attack from his older sister. The son senses he has cover from the mother and quickly adds a verbal jab back at the sister. The sister who is now being attacked from both sides quickly comes back with an uppercut shut up you jerk. While the father slowly removes himself from the table and pours himself the last bit of bourbon and decides to let this one play out.

Some moments will be missed and longed for in time or that is what they tell me.

 

[NoleMoreTears]

If Europe has “for a long time” shown nudity on TV, that would suggest to me that it is part of their “traditional values.” The point here is that American television content is changing, which I think is hard to dispute. Would be interested to hear why you think this change is happening in the USA. Thanks.

Perhaps the content is simply a reflection of the culture, not the other way around. So globalization would be most simple explanation, with a gradual merging of cultures becoming more likely.

Perhaps I jumped on the damaging (IMO) nostalgia surrounding "traditional values" which is a related but more thorny topic...my bad for harping on that but I think it gets to a lot of why people become upset regarding change. FTR I think selling sex is neither good nor bad but we should be notified that type of content is about to be shown.

 

[ericram]

What no family conversations at the dinner table?

The son fills ever second with each and every though that comes to mind, without stopping. He is quickly told to eat his dinner. Which is only followed by a mouth full of food while talking about each and every thought that comes into his mind. Next is a stern don't talk while you mouth is full while he is talking with his mouth full. The teenage daughter who takes a moment to stop sneering at the wonderment and bliss of the family dinner adding to the conversation of telling her brother to stop talking. The mother quickly comes to the rescue of the one she was scolding only moments before and defenders her youngest against the sudden verbal attack from his older sister. The son senses he has cover from the mother and quickly adds a verbal jab back at the sister. The sister who is now being attacked from both sides quickly comes back with an uppercut shut up you jerk. While the father slowly removes himself from the table and pours himself the last bit of bourbon and decides to let this one play out.

Some moments will be missed and longed for in time or that is what they tell me.

Wait a minute have you been watching us secretly??

 

[billanole]

I'm 40 years old and I'm going on an old man rant here for a few minutes.

On this board, you are pretty young

Ez now. Are you on my lawn? Get off!

 

[Hopkins Medicine]

NoleLou is right. I expect that kind of stuff if I go to HBO or Cinemax. But putting it on kids shows is ridiculous.

The ratings that are now required for TV programming should be forced to include commercials too. So for example if a show is rated TV-Y they can't put TV-MA rated commercials in the breaks.

Traditional networks are hurting for money so in a desperate attempt at a cash grab they have lowered their standards. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they start putting on ads for porn websites on the major channels within a few years.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Europeans that I know tend to separate nudity from sexuality. I have a German friend who was raised going to naturist beaches with his family - he's politically and socially pretty conservative but would still walk around a beach naked with no problem.

I think Europeans think it's funny we have no issues with movies where tons of people get blown away or die gruesome, bloody deaths, but then we freak out over a boob shot.

 

[cfbfan23]

Europeans that I know tend to separate nudity from sexuality. I have a German friend who was raised going to naturist beaches with his family - he's politically and socially pretty conservative but would still walk around a beach naked with no problem.

For Germans, nudity is being naked........sexuality is being naked and peeing on someone.