Can anyone verify if this is, in fact, a real advertisement for the Discovery Channel in the Netherlands? According to Gwen at Sociological Images, the poster reads:
Not for women’s eyes. Discovery Channel has television men want to watch. Exciting, smart, interesting, adventurous, and most of all real. Watch for yourself.
Seriously? Can anyone reassure me that the real meaning got lost in translation? Please…
H/T Ed Yong
December 8th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
I can’t confirm the source of the image, but unfortunately I can confirm that that translation is correct…
December 8th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
as real as can be. Discovery Channel in The Netherlands aims specifically at men for it’s target audience. Quoting Alco de Jong, VP of Channels, Discovery Networks Benelux : “..Discovery Channel biedt televisie waar mannen iets aan hebben en waar zij over kunnen praten met hun vrienden..” which roughly translates to : “.. DC offers men television they want and they can talk about with their friends…”.
December 8th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Yeah because every woman watches nothing but Dancin with the Stars and John and Kate Plus 8 right?
Jerks.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Yes, I think it might be real, check out their twitter page http://twitter.com/DiscoveryNed
December 9th, 2009 at 1:48 am
i can confirm that that translation is correct. i am from belgium so i speak dutch. what the …? discovery channel is on here all the time when i am home lol. that is just total discrimination to me !
December 9th, 2009 at 2:13 am
Just speculating here, but if that translation is accurate, I’d say it’s meant to be a (very) dry attempt at attracting female viewers. Saying “Not for women’s eyes” is a great way to attract “women’s eyes.”
The ad (again, if the translation is true) may or may not be effective, but in the end everyone just might have to lighten up a bit. I doubt the Discovery Channel, which has excellent programming, really intends to offend and isolate its viewers.
December 9th, 2009 at 3:19 am
If it is, it is not in wide circulation. I certainly haven’t seen it here on billboards or on television. That doesn’t make it impossible, especially since almost every show on discovery is presented by nearly all male casts.
December 9th, 2009 at 5:51 am
I can also confirm the translation is correct. I agree with Dave24 that this is an attempt to attract female viewers. But it does seem like a poor attempt.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:49 am
“Yeah because every woman watches nothing but Dancin with the Stars and John and Kate Plus 8 right?”
You have to admit that the majority do.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:08 am
I’d say it’s a campaign to try to get more women viewers. It reminds me of the Nestle Yorkie “Not for Girls” candy bar. I bought one of course. And I’m a girl.
December 9th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
You really think they expect to attract women by insulting them? Because . . . we like to be insulted? What?
December 10th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
That marketing involves flattery is not news. It’s a little unusual with its choice of stereotypes, but only in that way.
Sheril, what do you think of the Australian woman whose bank targeted women depositors with the slogan “don’t trust your money to a man?” She took off with all the bank’s assets.
December 11th, 2009 at 12:46 am
It’s definitely targeted at men only. It’s invariably those the flattery is aimed at that are the targets, and reverse psychology is almost vanishingly rare – it’s just too low-percentage.
By the way, Sidney Padua, an Ada Lovelace (and Chas. Babbage) comic historian, found a great letter from De Morgan (*the* De Morgan) to Lady Byron saying that Ada was too brilliant and innovative and at some point her mathematical abilities would, in essence, short out her frail womanly body and he wasn’t telling them what to do, but they should keep that in mind.
http://sydneypadua.com/2dgoggles/demorgan.gif
December 16th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Commercials these days have really become creative. I like the concept of not letting the viewer know what they are trying to advertise which prompts them to go view a website about it, Google it, etc. I like incorporating these marketing strategies in my own work here in Kansas City Missouri at
December 24th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Thanks alot, for sharing this great post!
i found a youtube video about watching tv online that I would like to share: International TV channels online..
But seriously, great post and thank you alot !!
I look forward to your next post !
April 13th, 2010 at 11:22 am
Yeah, real lost!
What’s the connection on “Not for woman’s eye”? geez!
June 1st, 2010 at 4:06 pm
“Yeah because every woman watches nothing but Star Plus?”
You have to admit that the majority do.