Match.com ad showing woman doing chores for a man deemed sexist
5 October 2022, 16:30
An ad on TikTok for dating site Match.com showing a woman doing domestic chores for her male partner was sexist, the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has ruled.
Match.com's video was titled ‘Things that make him realise I’m a keeper’ and depicted a 'day in the life’ of a couple.
In the clip, a man is shown sat with his feet up as his partner serves him a drink, arranges socks, and stands with a TV remote to put the football on for him.
A voice-over says : ‘I will make him his protein drink after the gym. I always make sure he has a fresh towel and socks after his shower. I put the football on for him every evening.
‘Find your keeper via Match. Go download the Match app today.’
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After it was posted in late June, the ASA upheld a complaint from a viewer who believed the ad was sexist and perpetuated negative gender stereotypes, and challenged whether it was harmful and offensive.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) flagged the fact that all the tasks carried out by the woman were domestic chores to "please her male partner", which could have been interpreted as reinforcing a negative gender stereotype.
"We further noted that the actions of the woman were one-sided and were not reciprocated by the man in the ad," it said.
The dating site explained that the clip was part of a three-video series, which also depicted gestures carried out by a man for a woman, but added that it has since been taken down.
After the complaint, Match.com acknowledged that it would have been more appropriate to include gestures by both characters in the same video.
The ASA also commented on the title of the video, saying it "reinforced the idea that women should be subservient to men in order to maintain a successful relationship".
"We concluded that the ad perpetuated negative gender stereotypes and was likely to cause harm and widespread offence," it said.
