When it comes to double standards between the sexes at work, you wouldn't expect to take your cues from a shampoo maker. Yet in 60 fleeting seconds, the latest ad by Pantene Philippines nails what it is to be a career woman today.
If a man is seen as the "boss,” then a woman is judged to be “bossy.” And the list of contrasting labels goes on, at once powerful and simple. Case in point: Marissa Mayer.
According to an article in TIME, the commercial was even voted up from Facebook's own COO Sheryl Sandberg, who scribed the following glowing words on her page:
"This is one of the most powerful videos I have ever seen illustrating how when women and men do the same things, they are seen in completely different ways. Really worth watching. Lean In prize of the day for sure!"
Job well done from the whole Pantene team, regardless of which sexual organs you happen to possess.
Watch, and love. Can you relate to any of the dramatized scenarios?
The guest list read like the ultimate political who's who. Yet many are cringing at the 'party' etiquette of several PMs who posed for a group photo at Nelson Mandela's memorial service in South Africa. It's no surprise the image of David Cameron and Barack Obama leaning into Danish PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt, cheesy grins and all, has gone viral. It seems even heads of state don't know when to stash their iPhones.
First Lady Michelle Obama looks thoroughly unimpressed by the antics of Hubby and Co. She's probably thinking even her teenagers know better than to snap selfies at a memorial service, especially when the leaders are supposedly there to pay their respects for the great Mandela.
Around 80,000 leaders rallied together in Johannesburg to commemorate 95-year-old Mandela, referred to as "the anti-apartheid hero" in an article in the Mirror, who died last week.
Of course it's not every day that world leaders get to assemble under one roof. Still, there's a time and a place for shmoozing. You would think presidents, past and present, would have a clue.
It's not clear at what point the already infamous selfie took place during the four-hour long proceedings, which featured a long line of tributes from Mandela's friends, family, and politicos from around the world. Even some celebrities—Charlize Theron, Naomi Campbell, and Bono—turned up at the service.
Was the leaders' selfie in bad taste?
SeaWorld's performance calendar is looking a little bleak these days. Ever since The Barenaked Ladies dropped out of its scheduled gig at the resort, other acts have followed suit. Willie Nelson and Heart have also cancelled performances on the strength of the Blackfish documentary (see trailer below).
According to an article in the Daily Beast, petitions started by fans urged bands to cancel their slots for SeaWorld's “Bands, Brew, & BBQ” music series, slated to begin in February 2014. Now the lineup is filled with gaps, after three major acts announced their decision to bail on the theme park in the wake of the Blackfish controversy.
The Change.org petition entitled “Barenaked Ladies: Cancel Your Performance at Seaworld” was the first to spark the reaction. The Ladies pulled out of the concert after receiving nearly 12,000 signatures. Willie Nelson then received some 9,000 signatures, and Heart followed suit, even though it wasn't directly affiliated with a petition.
In all cases, Blackfish was the catalyst. It remains to be seen how billeted acts Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon, and Scott McCreery will react in the face of similar petitions.
Kudos to these artists for listening to their fans, and putting their conscience ahead of their bank balance.
Do you boycott SeaWorld and similarly controversial marine parks, or does your child's entertainment come first?
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