Listen to Bridget

Hello All. So By now I’m sure you’ve all seen or heard our lovely new spokeswomen for the Halifax bridges. Aptly named Bridget, she is a trash talking, no nonsense gal, who tells it like it is. Who better to have for a spokesperson right? Well some think not. A particular local feminist organization doesn’t think Bridget is good at all, and is asking the Bridge Commission to take her down AND apologize. They claim the ads are objectifying women. Well I have a few things to say about that.


(Not really a surprise, I know)

So let’s look at the objectification. There are two things here we can all know to be true. Sex sells, and women have been peddling one thing or another on billboards since, well their invention. Do these groups have an issue with the billboards that sell perfume, or the pictures of women wearing only jeans to promote that product?

It has been tossed around that women who have been sexually abused, or joked about sexually would not like the depictions of Bridget. Why? Is she up there with bruises on her face? Do the billboards show her being berated by her husband? No. To me this is reaching really far for an excuse to try to influence something you don’t like, and using your help group as a crutch, or launch board.

So…. I have a few points for those who don’t like Bridget to ponder.

She is not real.  Sure she looks like a woman, but was created for the ad campaign. This was her purpose. The ads don’t show her half naked, or looking like she dressed for the club. It simply shows an attractive face, with backhanded comments. And let’s be real for a moment. The type of things she is trying to prevent are common sense, so if people are doing them (and they are), are backhanded comments not deserved?

She is powerful.  She is painted in such a light that she is the one in charge. She is doing the telling. Is this not part of what these women advocate groups want? She is standing up for what she believes in, and making her voice heard. If the idea is to personify her, then we cannot leave that out. She is a powerful woman who is taking control. Kudos to you Bridget.

Target your audience.  Demographically and statistically men are supposedly the worst offenders for driving. So if you are to follow the statistic, and use that to market your message, I don’t think it would be wise to have Larry the Cable Guy on your Billboard telling drivers to “Slow er down!”. You want a man to take notice? I think Bridget would trump Larry any day.

Don’t just reach at the first “apparent” cause to catch your eye.  While I certain respect and appreciate women’s right, and the group that protect them, to associate Bridget with sexual assault, or sexist jokes is simply preposterous. Is there sexual innuendo? Of course. It is a campaign that appeals mostly to men. But aside from that, sexual innuendo is in all media. Papers, TV, movies, signs, flyers, handouts, coupons, stickers, shirts, hats…. Need I go on? Should we get after the ladies that wear tight sweatpants that say “Bootylicious” on the ass? These are far more objectifying and demeaning than Bridget.

Sometimes I truly wonder if people simply stand up and make a fuss, just to make fuss. Like children really. Oh! Oh! Look at me! Look at me! Over here!

Grow-up people. I for one, will be sad to see Bridget go this month, but look forward to seeing her, UNCHANGED, in the fall.