Is this advert sexist?

[sp1814]

When I saw this on TV the other night, the bit with (38 seconds in) seemed a bit 'risque'.

Is it sexist? Or is the problem that tonally, it doesn't fit with the rest of the advert?

A small number of complaints have been made to the Advertising Standards Authority:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8366133.stm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vbqN9bB1MI

[Kromovaracun]

I thin the Gene Hunt reference is supposed to be a bit sexist, because it's Gene Hunt. I really can't see anything else sexist in this - what is it you can see?

[China Doll]

Only sexist thing I note are the thoughts I had about Gene (that his name?) whatshisface... And I'm not sure 'sexist' is the word I was looking for..... Mmmmmm.... Yum.

[Kromovaracun]

Gene Hunt is the character's name - I can't remember what they actor is called.

[Kromovaracun]

ARGH

My spelling box is broken today.

[dabees]

Gene Hunt is sexist, so it's what you'd expect him to say. But if it had been the words of Phillip Glenister, then you could possible deem it sexist. No more offensive than Stephen Fry's mincing comments.

[China Doll]

I quite fancy Stephen Fry too.... I should really get a telly so I can watch this advert more.

[Booldawg]

8 complaints and its newsworthy?

[TTG]

What's wrong with being sexy?

[jake-the-peg]

I don't see why that's sexist - it's M&S for goodness sake they sell underwear, it's what they do!

If it was a beer advert that'd be different

[daffy654]

Of course it is not sexist in the way the complainants meant.
The character of Gene Hunt is sexist and that part of the advert was 'in character'. Some folks should get a life and stop looking for things that offend them.

[sara3]

she's not my type, but isn't that girl at the end absolutely gorgeous? :o)

[flip_flop]

No

And the wimmin who complained will invariably be spaniel eared wizened fannied old harpies who need to get themselves a life.

If their complaints resulted in Noemie Lenoir's bra and knicker clad disappearance from our screens, I would hunt each of the 8 wimmin out and bludgeon them with a copy of a Greer book.

This model is utterly utterly gorgeous.

[R1Geezer]

Are we completely devoid of levity? The whole point is that Hunt is portraying a time when we had a sense of humour about this sort of thing. No not sexist or indeed any other sort of "ist".

[sp1814]

Who's Gene Hunt???

[sp1814]

Ahhh...I've just looked up Gene Hunt. He's a character from Life On Mars!

Now I geddit. Apparently he's a copper from the early 70s, and Philip Glenister's appearance in the advert is referencing that.

Never saw Life On Mars, so I didn't understand what the joke was supposed to be about.

[Gromit]

The charge of demeaning to women does not stand up. Unlike a piece of my anatomy on seeing 'that girl'.

[R1Geezer]

so SP, you're "on message" now then!

[sp1814]

R1Geezer

Indeed...I'm like a Labour party minister with a pager.