jjncj.com

Tonight, I bring you an advertisement. Not a paid advertisement, or even an advertisement for something that I'd use. It's an advertisement for a birth control product. Now, before you get all bent out of shape, I didn't say I was promoting it, I just said that I was bringing you an advertisement. If you click on the picture to the right, you'll see all the names have been fuzzed out. If you've seen the ad, you probably recognize it.

So, why I am even posting about this? Humor, really. Down in the lower-left-hand corner of the add, there is a small disclaimer (in addition to the small print about one inch high across the entire bottom of the ad, which I cropped out). The disclaimer says this: "Model used for illustration purposes only." You can see it more clearly by clicking on the graphic to the left.

Now, English is a funny language. It can be, and often is, probably more than most other languages, ambiguous. According to Webster's, there are 14 different meanings for the word "model." In this case, these two are applicable: 1) "one who is employed to display clothes or other merchandise" and 2) "a usually miniature representation of something; also a pattern of something to be made" or "a type or design of product."

So, to which are they referring? If it is definition two, as seems likely, then they are saying, "That little t-shaped piece of plastic kind of looks like what we sell, but might not exactly." If, however, they are referring to definition one, which it would appear, as the disclaimer is printed directly on her likeness, it becomes rather humorous. Imagine this (expanded) disclaimer

The model you see here may not actually use the product we are advertising. In fact, she might not even like it. Her picture probably came from a stock photo agency, so she probably had no idea she was going to be promoting a birth control device until she picked up a magazine with this ad in it. You do not have to have red hair, brown eyes, or freckles to use this product, nor do you even need to be attractive. We just needed a pretty face to put on the page so you would stop and read this ad. Why? Because this ad is really targeted at men who do not want their woman to get pregnant, and do not want to go to the trouble of using a condom or (horrors!) patience to prevent pregnancy. If this ad was really targeted at women, we'd be using cute little cartoon characters that look like their dresses are made of flowers, and have petals for a headdress. Or babies....babies catch a woman's attention. But, as it was, we just wanted the cute red-head in the low-cut tank top to grab the men.

Personally, I lean toward that disclaimer. But your opinion may vary.