A campaign by Tennessee state government to fight driving under the influence was canceled soon after its launch after being met with nearly universal criticism for relying on sexist tropes to reach young men.
The summertime campaign by the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, which was meant to discourage young men from getting behind the wheel after drinking, peddled the tired notion that women are “chatty,” “clingy” and “look hotter” after you’ve been drinking.
One slogan used on marketing materials read: “Buy a drink for a marginally good-looking girl, only to find out she’s chatty, clingy, and your boss’s daughter.”
Tennessee Democratic Party Chair says new state drunk driving campaign is offensive: “This… http://t.co/wm7j2f7MRm pic.twitter.com/auJprwkg0N
— WGNS Radio (@WGNSRadio) July 14, 2015
Another section of the campaign featured an approximation of bathroom stall-style graffiti, with characters engaging in drunken promiscuity and cleaning vomit up with a cat after choosing not to drive while intoxicated, the Tennessean reported. A state website for the campaign was no longer live as of Monday.
Shortly after the campaign’s launch, state Rep. John Ray Clemmons called on the governor to disavow the program, saying it made him “furious.”
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R) has not publicly commented on the matter.
Kendell Poole, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, said in a statement Monday that “it was never the intent of our to offend anyone.” Local station WREG reported the campaign cost the state taxpayers $77,000.
A local marketing professional told the Tennessean it’s “unfortunate” the state had to use sexism to promote the cause.
“I’m all in favor of being snarky in a campaign, but you don’t have to be sexist to do that,” Laura Creekmore said. “It is unfortunate for the young men of Tennessee if we think we have to be sexist to get the message across.”