# Did I actually SEE this ad? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 22, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213 "2003-07-22T19:36:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/1 "2003-07-22T19:36:03Z")
Picture, if you will, a slender, attractive woman dressed only in gray bra and panties and standing before a plain background. I saw this on my television and thought, “Oh! A ladies’ underwear ad,” and, as I don’t wear ladies’ underwear I half tune it out. Then I hear the young lady introduce herself as Susan B. Anthony. That got my attention and my jaw clanked on the floor. I was shocked. I was appalled. I was so offended that I forgot what product was being advertised. And I haven’t seen the ad since so I’m not sure if it was real or if I dreamed it. Have any of you seen it? Can you tell me more about it? I’d hate to flame a company without the facts. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/2 "2003-07-22T19:39:36Z")
I must be missing something. ---
**Author:** ![insomnia4AM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@insomnia4AM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/insomnia4AM)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/3 "2003-07-22T19:43:21Z")
**dropzone** , you didn’t imagine it. I saw it too. I think it’s an ad for some kind of underwear called Barely There. There I another one where the girl introduces herself as Betsy Ross. I guess the idea is that no matter what you are doing, you should be comfortable, and apparently these underpants are comfy. Why they are using the Susan B. Anthony and Betsy Ross approach is beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/4 "2003-07-22T19:45:41Z")
World Eater, you’re such a moron. Susan B. Anthony wouldn’t be caught dead in _gray_ underwear! She was more of a zebra stripe print bra and panties kind of gal. I share in the OP’s offense and shock. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/5 "2003-07-22T19:56:33Z")
😛 Ok, the only thing I knew about her was she was on a coin. Just read her bio, so I’m up to speed now. Why would they use her? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/6 "2003-07-22T20:03:16Z")
She said they could bill her later. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/7 "2003-07-22T20:52:31Z")
Now, now, now, Juanita, apologize to World Eater. Whether or not he is a moron is irrelevant to this discussion. I am the one you should be insulting here as I am the one who reported her in gray. Insomnia, thank you for the validation. And now for the rant. How dare you morons use a good, Quaker woman such as Ms Anthony to sell your skivvies? Have you no shame? No, since you have to go through life admitting you sell underwear I suppose you don’t. It is offensive enough to see George Washington selling carpet or TVs around his birthday, but he would’ve used the product if he lived today. I cannot say if Ms Anthony would use your product because she would be offended if you even asked, but I can safely say that she would find your ad utterly pornographic and degrading–and that’s WITHOUT you dragging her name through the mud. The perversions of feminism commercial America has committed are many, be it Virginia Slims offering women their own flower-strewn avenue to early death or the [Titan Tigress](http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976249952.htm) with its rose-engraved grip. This is just the latest insult to those of us who take respect for women seriously. At least they didn’t use Elizabeth Cady Stanton. I’d pay to NOT see her in her underwear. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/8 "2003-07-22T20:54:11Z")
They just wanted to dollar up a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/9 "2003-07-22T21:05:22Z")
Don’t know about that particular ad, but the other day I had to stop in a Williams-Sonoma in Wheaton. It is right next door to a Victoria’s Secret. Their current sales pitch seems to involve near life-sized B&W photos of women who may be wearing undergarments, but are posed in ways to make it appear as they are naked. Walking from the car my 14 yr-old son was sufficiently distracted that he forgot to step up over the curb and nearly sprawled on the sidewalk. I had to sit down, I was laughing so hard! ---
**Author:** ![margin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@margin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/margin)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/10 "2003-07-22T21:23:21Z")
Oh, God, I did see this ad. I guarantee you I’m not going to buying this underwear. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/11 "2003-07-22T21:25:49Z")
How do you know, by the way, that the woman’s name wasn’t really Susan B. Anthony? It’s not entirely ouside the realm of possibility. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/12 "2003-07-22T22:45:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Finagle \* > \*\*They just wanted to dollar up a bit. \*\* That makes no cents. ---
**Author:** ![TigoleBitties](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@TigoleBitties](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TigoleBitties)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/13 "2003-07-22T22:53:21Z")
\ Oy gevalt And quite frankly…those quakers are a rowdy bunch…what with the roaming gangs of rake fighters and all. I see her more of a lace thongy type myself. Why that visage of her on the dollar just screams “bounce me into a glass of booze and jam me in your nether regions.” Is it just me? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/14 "2003-07-22T22:55:34Z")
Hmmm. Don’t really get the point of advertising underwear via a naked looking model (if you can’t see what they’re advertising, why would you buy it?) I mean really, if I wanted the “completely naked” look, I’d just stay naked. It’s a hell of a lot cheaper than Victoria Secret’s shitty lingere. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/15 "2003-07-22T22:56:56Z")
Susan B. Anthony? Zebra stripes? No, no. A thong 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/16 "2003-07-22T22:58:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dropzone \* > \*\*The perversions of feminism commercial America has committed are many, be it Virginia Slims offering women their own flower-strewn avenue to early \*\* _You’ve come a long way, baby, but you’re still just a ‘baby’ to me!_. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/17 "2003-07-22T23:01:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dropzone \* > \*\* > How dare you morons use a good, Quaker woman such as Ms Anthony to sell your skivvies? Have you no shame? No, since you have to go through life admitting you sell underwear I suppose you don’t. It is offensive enough to see George Washington selling carpet or TVs around his birthday, but he would’ve used the product if he lived today. I cannot say if Ms Anthony would use your product because she would be offended if you even asked, but I can safely say that she would find your ad utterly pornographic and degrading–and that’s WITHOUT you dragging her name through the mud. > > \*\* Oddly, many posters here saw nothing wrong with the comic book artist perverting other author’s characters to put into his comic book, but then panned the League of Extrordinary Gentlemen flick as it “perverted” the artist’s “original” work. I think he had no right to turn these respected literary characters into sick reflections of his own twisted brain. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/18 "2003-07-23T00:02:33Z")
First, I’ve not seen the ad, and don’t care if they used Susan B. Second, those underwear are SO COMFORTABLE. I’m here to tell you. Buy some- you will NOT be sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/19 "2003-07-23T00:05:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cervaise \* > \*\*That makes no cents. \*\* I say that all the dime. Ava ---
**Author:** ![smaft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@smaft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaft)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213/20 "2003-07-23T05:18:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lezlers \* > Don’t really get the point of advertising underwear via a naked looking model (if you can’t see what they’re advertising, why would you buy it?) Scene: Paris, Spring 2002. Galleries Lafayette, men’s wing. underwear department. There’s a big display of the results of some French designer’s newest foray into the world of pajamas- said display consisting of dozens of carefully stacked boxes under “Pajamas” sign. Each one a shiny black box; “Pajamas” in a high-tech font, labeled on the back “blue”, “green”, etc. and a size, as appropriate. The picture of the box: full body shot (head to toe) of a completely naked man. Smaft: “Umm, so, 35 euros for an empty box?!?” I never did find out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-actually-see-this-ad/190213.md?page=2)