Denmark based company Bestseller owns Jack and Jones—a high-street clothing brand that primary produces menswear. And for its recent billboard, the brand shows campaign star Ranveer Singh—dressed in a ‘sharp’ shirt, suspenders and a bowtie, paired with skinny jeans—LIFTING a young woman in a mini skirt and a blouse, ‘back home’, on his powerful shoulders. All this while the office butler—who clearly looks like he’s wearing the same bowtie and enjoying the scene— in giggles!

Jack And Jones

In a society where women (and men) are trying to fight for equality and equal pay, in an age where workplace misconduct and harassment stories are all over the interweb,  this ad campaign feels dated. This feels very circa 2005, where brands like Dolce and Gabbana would do suggestive rape ads to provoke (read: shock) people, and subsequently be banned everywhere. But we don’t live in 2006. We live in 2016—where showcasing manhood while behaving like neanderthals is not cool.

We list down the fundamental problems in the ad:

Women are not ‘work’ to be ‘taken home’.
Why is the man completely dressed up while the girl is in a mini skirt?
‘Don’t hold back’ and lift your co-workers!!! Really?
Women don’t need to be lifted (and taken home)!
Why is there a butler in the ad? And why is he smiling?
Manhood doesn’t equate to showcasing unwanted strength.

We could go on and on, but the moral of the story is sexist ads DON'T provoke and shock anyone, anymore. Neither do they sell 'sharp shirts'. They are just tone-deaf and stupid. And for a celebrity (and a brand) that caters to millennials—this ad is ticking all the wrong boxes.