by Laura Denomy

Has overt sexist alcohol advertisements gone too far? Sexist alcohol advertisements are invasive, and contribute to an environment that encourages violence against women. The general targeted demographic is men in their early to late 20’s, and alcohol companies are aware of this and are sending out a misinterpreted image of reality through gender stereotypes. Alcohol companies are only concerned about selling their products, and making big profit, and don’t have any morals about the detrimental effects that these advertisements are having on our on society.
The first images that young men interpret about drinking are usually through these sexist advertisements. Young men are the most vulnerable towards these kinds of advertisements, because they have become desensitized towards sexist advertisements and don’t know the subconscious effects it has on them. These advertisements portray over the top sexualized gender stereotypes; men are these laid back hot shots, who are able to get these sexy women just by drinking a brand name, and women are portrayed as objects, they have no brain just a sexy body, their bodies are usually dissected, or they are owned by someone.

Sky Vodka is notorious for their over the top sexist advertisements. These advertisements are a perfect example of how alcohol advertisements degrade and dehumanize women. All of the advertisements below show the ‘ideal’ women through men’s eyes. These advertisements are sending out a message that women should look, and act this way to be desirable. Sky Vodka and others companies alike should be ashamed of themselves. Advertisements like these are the most dehumanizing, which is one of the top leading causes to abuse against women, because men just see women as an object, a possession, or a ‘thing’.

Yes, sex does sell, but what price are we willing to pay? Alcohol advertisers need to understand the serious repercussions that these advertisements are having on our society and the negative effect it has on both men and women, because media portrays false gender representations, which shape the way we act, how we view people, the way we talk, our beliefs, and our culture. Women are constantly trying to change themselves to become these ‘perfect’ stereotypical women, but do these women actually exist?


Laura Denomy is participating in Violence, Media Representations and Families a media literacy program joint initiative between Kwantlen Polytechnic University Sociology Department, First Voices and Battered Women’s Support Services