"Sexist" Ad for Hong Kong Pilot's Watch
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"Sexist" Ad for Hong Kong Pilot's Watch
Man, I'd be pretty pissed if I was a flight attendant too. Incredibly sexist. I've never seen any of us guys wear IWC in the cockpit anyway - mostly Breitling (Cathay standard issue). But I've seen a lot of F/A's with nicer watches than mine. Ha. Perhaps it should read "frequently found on pilots' beside tables." - Aloha
Flight attendants protest "sexist" watch advert in Hong Kong
dpa German Press AgencyPublished: Friday April 27, 2007
Hong Kong- Flight attendants in Hong Kong Friday protested
an advertisement for a luxury watch designed for pilots which carries
the slogan: "Often seen on stewardesses' bedside tables."
They said the advertisement for the Swiss-made IWC Schaffhausen
Big Pilot's Watch, which appeared on the front page of an
English-language daily newspaper, is sexist and demeaning.
Beneath the slogan, the advertisement describes the watch as
"engineered for men," "not infrequently spotted in bedrooms" and says
its seven-day power reserve "means you can afford to stay in bed that
little bit longer than usual."
Complaints have been lodged on behalf of the flight attendants
with the watch company, the consumer council and the South China
Morning Post which carried the advertisement in its Wednesday
editions.
Hong Kong is home to thousands of female flight attendants working
for mostly for Cathay Pacific and Dragonair and copies of the Post
are carried on board the flights and given free to passengers.
"I couldn't believe the advertisement when I saw it. It's
incredibly demeaning to women," said one 32-year-old Cathay Pacific
flight attendant, who requested anonymity.
"It's breathtakingly sexist and seems to make out that flight
attendants are loose women who sleep with pilots just because they've
got a nice watch. I think IWC should apologize."
John Findlay, general secretary of the Aircrew Officers
Association which represents Hong Kong pilots, said pilots and flight
attendants alike objected to the advertisement which he called
"tasteless."
"Thousands of pilots and cabin attendants employed by the airlines
in Hong Kong will see nothing in the words except an example of
innuendo of the most sexist, offensive kind," he said.
Findlay, himself married to a senior Hong Kong-based flight
attendant, added: "There's no point in asking our members to boycott
IWC watches as I have never seen a pilot wearing one."
There was no immediate response to calls and emails to IWC
Schaffhausen in Hong Kong and Europe seeking comment on the
complaints about the advertisement.
--End--
Flight attendants protest "sexist" watch advert in Hong Kong
dpa German Press AgencyPublished: Friday April 27, 2007
Hong Kong- Flight attendants in Hong Kong Friday protested
an advertisement for a luxury watch designed for pilots which carries
the slogan: "Often seen on stewardesses' bedside tables."
They said the advertisement for the Swiss-made IWC Schaffhausen
Big Pilot's Watch, which appeared on the front page of an
English-language daily newspaper, is sexist and demeaning.
Beneath the slogan, the advertisement describes the watch as
"engineered for men," "not infrequently spotted in bedrooms" and says
its seven-day power reserve "means you can afford to stay in bed that
little bit longer than usual."
Complaints have been lodged on behalf of the flight attendants
with the watch company, the consumer council and the South China
Morning Post which carried the advertisement in its Wednesday
editions.
Hong Kong is home to thousands of female flight attendants working
for mostly for Cathay Pacific and Dragonair and copies of the Post
are carried on board the flights and given free to passengers.
"I couldn't believe the advertisement when I saw it. It's
incredibly demeaning to women," said one 32-year-old Cathay Pacific
flight attendant, who requested anonymity.
"It's breathtakingly sexist and seems to make out that flight
attendants are loose women who sleep with pilots just because they've
got a nice watch. I think IWC should apologize."
John Findlay, general secretary of the Aircrew Officers
Association which represents Hong Kong pilots, said pilots and flight
attendants alike objected to the advertisement which he called
"tasteless."
"Thousands of pilots and cabin attendants employed by the airlines
in Hong Kong will see nothing in the words except an example of
innuendo of the most sexist, offensive kind," he said.
Findlay, himself married to a senior Hong Kong-based flight
attendant, added: "There's no point in asking our members to boycott
IWC watches as I have never seen a pilot wearing one."
There was no immediate response to calls and emails to IWC
Schaffhausen in Hong Kong and Europe seeking comment on the
complaints about the advertisement.
--End--
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interesting
Viewed from my western, feminist academic mind, my jaw drops at that ad. Not in a good way. I would be curious to know others', including HKG-based crew, opinions of it.
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Hmmm
I actually think it's quite funny.
I'm not offended by it, however can see why others would be.
Could be considered quite flattering, y'know you can even pull an air stewardess with this watch kinda thing.
Good thread anyway, wonder if anyone else is unoffended by it.
Ezy
I'm not offended by it, however can see why others would be.
Could be considered quite flattering, y'know you can even pull an air stewardess with this watch kinda thing.
Good thread anyway, wonder if anyone else is unoffended by it.
Ezy
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I thought it was very funny..
C'mon, this monkey business of living in a "politically correct world" AT ALL TIMES, takes away the fun of having the ability to laugh at ourselves...have you ever slept with a pilot? Neither have I (sometimes I wish I had
though!)!! So, what's the big deal?
Aren't we, the aviation community, a nice, easygoing lot,with a great sense of humour?
What's so demeaning about a F/A having sex with a pilot? By the way, have you any idea how many female pilots are out there? A pilot is a pilot, regardless of their gender!!
If the advertisment had a female pilot & a male F/A (implicitly or explicitly) in it, would we be so appaled by it? Think about it!! Seriously!! Or if the pilot was gay?
Perhaps if we, the single crew, had a little more fun in "the valley of bed sheets", we'd be less offended by some harmless stereotyping..not to mention the fact that it does add a litlle "mistery, excitment & glamour" to a much (& unrightly so) trashed profession!!
Lighten up ladies & gentlemen,it's all harmless fun!!
p.s. please don't "crucify me" for "just my 2 cents"..
C'mon, this monkey business of living in a "politically correct world" AT ALL TIMES, takes away the fun of having the ability to laugh at ourselves...have you ever slept with a pilot? Neither have I (sometimes I wish I had
though!)!! So, what's the big deal?Aren't we, the aviation community, a nice, easygoing lot,with a great sense of humour?
What's so demeaning about a F/A having sex with a pilot? By the way, have you any idea how many female pilots are out there? A pilot is a pilot, regardless of their gender!!
If the advertisment had a female pilot & a male F/A (implicitly or explicitly) in it, would we be so appaled by it? Think about it!! Seriously!! Or if the pilot was gay?
Perhaps if we, the single crew, had a little more fun in "the valley of bed sheets", we'd be less offended by some harmless stereotyping..not to mention the fact that it does add a litlle "mistery, excitment & glamour" to a much (& unrightly so) trashed profession!!
Lighten up ladies & gentlemen,it's all harmless fun!!
p.s. please don't "crucify me" for "just my 2 cents"..
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No crucifixion from me, I am an impartial academic (at least i try to be! 
), I was genuinely curious about other opinions, as I only know own. Flyingazorian, you make some good points, which recall my research - I'm interesting in flight attendant/pilot communication, including potential gendered stereotypes. (I am a former FA, mainly because the company I worked for, which never had a stellar relationship with labour, was able to implement even more draconian work rules than what were there before... loads of us left and are still leaving... not pretty...)
Anyway, back to reading!
), I was genuinely curious about other opinions, as I only know own. Flyingazorian, you make some good points, which recall my research - I'm interesting in flight attendant/pilot communication, including potential gendered stereotypes. (I am a former FA, mainly because the company I worked for, which never had a stellar relationship with labour, was able to implement even more draconian work rules than what were there before... loads of us left and are still leaving... not pretty...)Anyway, back to reading!
In the old days, when men were men and women were women, and small furry creatures from Alpha Centuri were small furry creatures from Alpha Centuri, everyone would just laugh this off. Don't get mad, get even: why don't the female cc from CX place their own ad poking fun at IWC wearers?
No skin off my nose, I have a Baume et Mercier and two Omegas.
No skin off my nose, I have a Baume et Mercier and two Omegas.
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John Findlay sums it all up perfectly in the article, and as anyone who has met him will attest, he has a brilliant sense of humour - as does his Missus, who is a senior F/A.
