Kraft’s Zesty Italian Dressing ad is a little too “zesty” for the conservative group One Million Moms, but most women (and even some men) seem to love the campaign.
The “let’s get zesty” ad depicts a naked man with a picnic blanket draped over his genitals, and ran as a print ad in a recent issue of People. In response, One Million Moms wrote a press release in which they called the ad “disgusting” and criticized Kraft for going “too far.”
Many women apart from One Million Moms also find the ad distasteful. On their Facebook page, user criticism ranges from calling the Kraft Zesty Dressing ad campaign “lame” to “immoral.”
(Of course, there is the occasional “Share his summer sausage with me!!!!!”)
So the campaign has achieved mixed reception, which is actually a good thing for Kraft, because people are talking about them. A TODAY survey showed that 46 percent out of 80,000 voters think the ad is too racy while 54 percent think the campaign is all in good fun.
Twitter users have by-and-large focused on Kraft’s clever sexualization of men, arguing that ad campaigns have long done the same with women’s bodies.
I’m totally OK with this ad. Turnabout is fair play. Does Kraft’s ‘Zesty’ print ad go too far? https://t.co/BYLIC6dqST via @todaymoney
— RavynCat (@RavynCat) June 14, 2013
People need to back off the #kraft#zesty man. There are half naked women on ads all the time, no one complains. — AAA (@t4mmy) June 14, 2013
Men seem to like the ad, too.
omg need the new zesty kraft man in my bed now, to do things….and then marry me
— Michael Isaac (@MichaelJIsaac) June 15, 2013
I wouldn’t mind getting #Zesty with that man in the #Kraft Italian dressing Ad. pic.twitter.com/2MW6TLLbDj
— Paul Gucho (@GuchoPaul) June 15, 2013
What do you think of Kraft’s Zesty Italian Dressing ad campaign? Offensive? Sexy? Entertaining and smart commentary on the over-sexualization of women in marketing? Sound off!
Personally I find this a bit distasteful.
It is a little distasteful but is true that women are displayed in the same way in ads all the time. Nobody ever says anything then.
This is craziness, funny how we get racier and racier with our ads and commercials!
It's just an awful ad.
People just need to lighten up. Like they said, tons of ads have half naked woman and it doesn't cause this much ruckus! who cares, nothings showing!
People need to lighten up a bit. Is it going too far, maybe but advertisers react to what people want in order to sell their product. Ads have women that are half naked all the time and guys love it so why shouldn't women get the same eye candy! Besides it is natural to be attracted to someone, not some dirty little secret.