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iPad Case Ad Targets Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Girls

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7:15 PM, Apr. 19th ET, 2011
TMO Talk (37)
Articles by Author Bryan Chaffin on Twitter Contact Author
Comments (28)

Happy Owl Studios has reached deep into the Meta Bag with a new video ad (see below) to promote its iPad The Clutch. The ad uses Apple’s own “I’m a Mac” commercial format to personify both Apple’s iPad and Happy Owl’s case, The Clutch, which is designed to appeal to women, with a delivery that seems (to all the men we asked) aimed at men.

Firstly, there’s The Clutch:

The Clutch

It’s a case for the iPad that is designed to look like a woman’s clutch bag, from which it takes its name (Happy Owl offers a similar case designed for men called The Wallet). In addition to holding an iPad, it also has compartments for many other things that women often keep in a purse, such as an iPhone, credit cards and driver’s license, pens, money, etc.

To wit:

 

Inside The Clutch

So, that’s the case. Now let’s look at the ad (some of you may find this offensive, so watch at your own discretion):

The Clutch ad, from Happy Owl Studios

Talk about mixed messages, but perhaps the intent is mainly to get people to talk about Happy Owl and its iPad cases? If so, it worked, at least in this case.

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28 Observer Comments

For those who could possibly be offended by this, I think you should protest by deleting your account and never returning to this site again, fight the power.

Well, what can you say. It’s an interesting stereotype with iPad woman being the somewhat aloof, professional, then aggressive type with Happy Owl woman being the bim*** blond (sorry for stereotype comment) who lets the aggressive iPad jump all over her. Is this how everyone sees Apple?????

   Actions xmattingly said on April 19th, 2011 at 6:49 PM (Edited: 04/19/2011 6:51 PM):

“It’s time to make sexy!”, as Borat would say. big grin

The plaid-wearing girl on the right is the butch. Which means iPads are butch. ::hee:hee::

   Actions Lee Dronick said on April 19th, 2011 at 7:59 PM (Edited: 10/18/2011 6:20 PM):

Coming up in our next segment Fred Phelps announced plans to protest outside of Happy Owl’s corporate office. Now word from our sponsor.

   Actions Lee Dronick said on April 19th, 2011 at 8:55 PM (Edited: 10/18/2011 6:20 PM):

When said a word from our sponsor I was only joking.

Remind me not to watch the promo The Wallet wink

   Actions buddhistMonkey said on April 19th, 2011 at 10:11 PM:

Shouldn’t the headline read iPad Case Ad Targets Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Girls Who Like Girls? Also, why does an iPad need an iPhone to access the web?

   Actions Nancy Gravley said on April 19th, 2011 at 10:13 PM:

I like the bag but the promo is just dumb.  I learned more about the product from Bryan’s info.

   Actions Lee Dronick said on April 19th, 2011 at 10:21 PM (Edited: 10/18/2011 6:20 PM):

Also, why does an iPad need an iPhone to access the web?

Maybe there is no WiFi signal and not every iPad is 3G, but every iPhone is 3G capable. Or it is just artistic license.

   Actions Bosco (Brad Hutchings) said on April 19th, 2011 at 11:40 PM (Edited: 05/26/2012 12:39 AM):

Title is wrong. Everyone knows that girls don’t like boys; girls like cars and money.

+

I just ordered one, and I don’t even have an iPad. smile

Shouldn’t the headline read iPad Case Ad Targets Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Girls Who Like Girls? Also, why does an iPad need an iPhone to access the web?

I really wanted to go even longer than that, but it was already a long title!

Also, my apologies to Damon Alban and Blur. smile

I like the bag but the promo is just dumb.  I learned more about the product from Bryan’s info.


But I only wrote about the product because of the ad. As I mentioned in the piece, the company was playing a fairly deep meta game with this promo.

I am also fairly certain you are not the target demo, Mrs. Gravley. smile

   Actions as you wish said on April 20th, 2011 at 6:17 AM:

For those who could possibly be offended by this, I think you should protest by deleting your account and never returning to this site again

Done.

How could a soft-porn “ad” of a couple lesbians making out NOT be offensive?  In case you’re confused this isn’t a porn site.

Anyway if Apple wants to be the signature brand of the GLBT folks then so be it.  Count the rest of us out.

Oh come on. But then what can you expect from someone who can’t differentiate a company that makes Clutch bags from a company that makes iPads? I mean that’s almost the same right? *eye roll*

Please don’t presume to speak for “the rest of us” anymore. I fall into that category and you aren’t speaking for me.

And yes, I do need coffee.

   Actions as you wish said on April 20th, 2011 at 7:26 AM:

But then what can you expect from someone who can’t differentiate a company that makes Clutch bags from a company that makes iPads? I mean that’s almost the same right?

Think about it.  Would Clutch try to sell, say, Qur’an cases with the same ad?

Clutch is only selling to the market.  Which unfortunately says a lot about Apple’s identity.

Yeah, still not making sense there. Apple sells a lot of products so other companies jump on the bandwagon and make accessories for it… That’s your point.

The company that makes the Clutch thinks that people with a sense of humor, who are tolerant and don’t divide the world into camps according to sexual preference, who like style and a good products that work buy Apple stuff and that’s who they are aiming their ad at. Who am I to say they are wrong?

How could a soft-porn “ad” of a couple lesbians making out NOT be offensive?  In case you’re confused this isn’t a porn site.

Kissing is not porn.

Seems like the ad worked just fine. Look what’s going on here. smile
Bravo to Happy Owl for a successful ad campaign.

To all who are offended: Lighten up Francis.

i find it offensive. Not sure if I should but I do. Don’t like girl on girl in the movies either. Then again I would probably not be comfortable with boy on girl either. Guess I’m a prude. Lol

   Actions Lee Dronick said on April 20th, 2011 at 8:50 AM (Edited: 10/18/2011 6:20 PM):

Title is wrong. Everyone knows that girls don’t like boys; girls like cars and money.

Spot on! They should redo the ad with Donald Trump and Sarah Palin.

   Actions geoduck said on April 20th, 2011 at 9:03 AM (Edited: 01/26/2012 2:46 PM):

The purpose of advertising is to get people talking about something.
Mission accomplished.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that…

   Actions Websnap said on April 20th, 2011 at 9:23 AM (Edited: 04/20/2011 9:27 AM):

How could a soft-porn “ad” of a couple lesbians making out NOT be offensive?  In case you’re confused this isn’t a porn site.

Anyway if Apple wants to be the signature brand of the GLBT folks then so be it.  Count the rest of us out.

(waves) BYE!!!

Kissing is not porn, but having a stick up your ass should be considered obscene…

That’s life, get over it. You don’t have to be involved, but you don’t get a voice in whether it exists or not.

   Actions ctopher said on April 20th, 2011 at 12:58 PM (Edited: 04/20/2011 1:02 PM):

What Websnap? not a kiss goodbye?

I note a male bent to this discussion, perhaps women also find this titillating?

Flagging as inappropriate could have nipped this in the bud. But no, we see that even TMO is milking it.

Actually, it’s had to tell exactly what they are selling, I can’t quite make it out.

Well I’ll try and stay abreast of these developments.

   Actions Nookster said on April 20th, 2011 at 1:17 PM (Edited: 04/20/2011 1:18 PM):

[quote author= offended “as you wish” date=“1303312659”]

WINNING

   Actions Lee Dronick said on April 20th, 2011 at 2:26 PM (Edited: 10/18/2011 6:20 PM):

I note a male bent to this discussion, perhaps women also find this titillating?

Flagging as inappropriate could have nipped this in the bud. But no, we see that even TMO is milking it.

Actually, it’s had to tell exactly what they are selling, I can’t quite make it out.

Well I’ll try and stay abreast of these developments.

A couple of good innuendoes in there.

What are they selling? I had never heard of Happy Owl until now, but my Mr Happy persuaded me to take a look at their website. They are selling some nice cases other than clutches. I am interested in the case they have that works with and matches my red leather iPad Smart Cover. On their home page they are calling the Clutch their “Spoof Series.”

Hot. Funny. Excellent. Love it.

How could a soft-porn “ad” of a couple lesbians making out NOT be offensive?  In case you’re confused this isn’t a porn site.

What’s offensive about it? It’s not as if they had taken out guns and started shooting each other. That would have been offensive. You were warned - why did you look at it?

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