When job ads stipulate 'attractive' as a requirement

Ad Nut doesn't often peruse job ads in Indonesia, and therefore didn't know that 'looks attractive' is apparently a commonly listed job requirement. If that doesn't fill you with rage and sadness then you...well, Ad Nut doesn't really know what to say about you. But suffice to say it's not good things.

The people at Pantene, with help from Grey Group Indonesia, have made this rage-inducing fact about job ads the subject of a new campaign called 'Rambut Tanpa Batas (Limitless Hair)'. It's good that they've done so, because they've turned it into a dramatic little video that not only focuses on the negative self-esteem impacts of such a stipulation but also reveals how utterly ridiculous it is in the first place. This is much better than the spittle-flecked screaming diatribe that Ad Nut would have made.

That said, Ad Nut wishes the campaign would have a more direct call to action, such as, 'Hey, Indonesian companies, stop it with the harmful and sexist bullshit right now!' or 'Hey, Indonesia government, how about joining the current century by enforcing the equality-minded legal framework you already have in place (according to Ad Nut's research) and putting an immediate stop to this kind of flagrant and destructive nonsense, as well as jobs that stipulate a particular gender or age group while you're at it thank you very much?'

On second thought, perhaps a measured, less shouty approach to starting the conversation is a better way to go. Ad Nut sincerely hopes to see people pick up the cause. 

In any case this is a worthy addition to the similar and commendable work Pantene has been doing to promote a more healthy definition of beauty in other APAC markets:

• Pantene touts success of Japan hair-freedom movement
• Pantene challenges the hair police in Japanese schools
• "Stay in sport" Pantene Malaysia urges girls
• Pantene Thailand: Look at these beautiful humans
• Yuna depicts strength in Pantene campaign for Malaysia
• Chinese women: Your hairdresser-slash-therapist will see you now

For the record, Ad Nut thinks all the women in the ad are lovely, though of course Ad Nut feels a particular kinship with the woman whose frizz-tastic locks would not look out of place on the tail end of a squirrel. 

Finally, as bad as it is, sexism in job ads doesn't make Ad Nut nearly as rageful as child marriage, which is being spotlighted in another campaign today. See "Disturbing campaign forces you to visualise child marriage".

If you're interested in new ideas and strategies to promote diversity and inclusion, we will be hosting Campaign Leading Change 2020 Conference & Awards (formerly Women Leading Change) on May 28 at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.

CREDITS

CLIENT: Procter and Gamble

CREATIVE AGENCY: Grey Group Indonesia
Chief Executive Officer: Raju Alluri
Regional Creative Director, SEA: I-van Policarpo
Associate Creative Director: Elson Effendy
Regional Senior Producer: Aida Ghazali
Regional Account Director: Pritika Gupta
Sr. Account Executive: Khansa Nadhira
Copywriter: Cemara Dinda
Creative Support: Joza Bayu, Patrick Miciano, Irvine Priscilla

GREY Regional & Global Team:
Global Creative Lead: Javier Bonilla
EVP, P&G – AMEA: Yash Samat
WPP P&G Haircare SEA: Brenda Chung
MediaCom: Ann Margareth Tee, Eloise sim, Gilad Kat

PRODUCTION:
Film Director: Rudy Satria
Post Production: Colour Post
Audio Production: Stereogenic

Ad Nut is a surprisingly literate woodland creature that for unknown reasons has an unhealthy obsession with advertising. Ad Nut gathers ads from all over Asia and the world for your viewing pleasure, because Ad Nut loves you. You can also check out Ad Nut's Advertising Hall of Fame, or read about Ad Nut's strange obsession with 'murderous beasts'.