It is common knowledge that women lie awake at night, dreading the moment when one day, when we least expect it, we may be forced to use a public toilet! The horror! Thankfully, Safe 4 U have the answer in the form of a lipstick-sized antibacterial spray easy to carry around with us just in case that horrible moment strikes.
At least, that is what Safe 4 U want us to believe- that all women are obsessively neat, clean freaks who are petrified of picking up icky germs.
The ad campaign for the spray features the tagline “to pee or not to pee, we have the answer”, and also features four 30-second radio spots along with the print campaign. The radio ads are eerie, as well as being uncomfortable and awkward to listen to, featuring sounds such as a dripping tap, a creepy child singing and heavy panting. Although they don’t beat around the bush- using a public toilet is something most of us would rather avoid, they have exaggerated our distaste to an almost laughable degree- and we are mildly miffed that the ad suggests women freak out over something that in the grand scheme of things, isn’t really so bad (considering most keyboards, kitchen sinks and steering wheels are dirtier than an average public toilet seat).
In addition, instead of focusing on the cleanly, positive aspects of the spray, the ads are spending far too much time on the not-too-nice reality that is a public toilet. As a result, I shudder when I think of the product, not when I think about using a public toilet.
An obsession with cleanliness and hygene is nothing new in this day and age, with countless ads telling us of hidden germs and how to avoid them (even though studies show that extremely hygeneic living often leads to greater illnesses, allergies and a generally weaker immune system). The problem with this ad is not its perpetuation of the idea that germs are every where, it’s the association with women that makes us uneasy. Imagine a man in the same ad campaign, freaking out about a toilet seat.
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