A poster supposed to represent the Italian lifestyle has caused quite a stir in the U.K.
The poster shows three men, two lifting their sunglasses, leering at a woman’s behind as she walks by.
The ad was devised by Caffè Nero, Britain’s third largest coffee-house chain, with the intent to “portray Italian culture” and was displayed in many Caffè Nero coffee shops around the country – until customers started to complain that it was sexist.
It all began with Laura Palmer, a 32-year old teacher who saw it in a coffee shop in Kent: “I think it’s a really inappropriate image, which in my view promotes sexual discrimination and the sexualisation of women. It has undertones which are almost creepy – three guys standing by the side of the road in a pack with their eyes obviously drawn to the woman’s behind. I decided to complain. I was extremely shocked to be faced with such blatant leering at women. It just isn’t the sort of image Nero should be promoting.”
The spokespeople at Caffè Nero now concede it may cause offence, and say it will be removed from all stores as soon as possible.
We at ITALY Magazine do not think images like this “portray Italian culture,” as Caffè Nero has said; rather, besides being sexist, the image appears to be racist as it promotes the usual cliché of Italian men aggressively staring and whistling at every pretty woman walking by.
What’s your take on this ad?
