"So Easy A Husband Could Do It."

Think back to a few years ago. Do you remember the ads from Geico featuring the caveman? Saving money with Geico is "So Easy a Caveman Can Do It!" It worked pretty well for them. Unfortunately for whoever ran this ad that success may not transfer when the slogan refers to husbands cooking potatoes.


This, obviously, communicates that men cannot cook. They should be the bread winners not bread bakers (or in this case, potato makers). But this wonderful product is so simple and so easy, that even husbands are able to cook it! But it is implied that without this special potato (?) men could not cook. So only women are supposed to be able to cook. Really? Before this potato came to be, men could never cook?

Throughout the past week, we have read essays about and discussed gender stereotypes which are (unfortunately) still prevalent today as clearly displayed in this ad. Women are slaves of the kitchen and men do all of the real work. As the child of parents who both work (and are both very good cooks) I find these gender stereotypes ridiculous. It seems to me that they should no longer exist in this day and age, but I suppose it is difficult to change a nation's way of thinking. Hopefully it will change with time, and men will be able to cook more than one brand of potatoes.