Catholic League Offended by Coat Hanger Pro-Choice Ad

raptor3x · Post by **raptor3x** » 2007-08-16 09:03pm

Brendan Keefe wrote: (CBS) NEW YORK They're ads you may have seen around New York City. They're supposed to be promoting storage, but they have a political and comical edge to them.

But their latest ad doesn't have too many people laughing.

Its billboards have always been edgy, but has Manhattan Mini Storage gone over the edge?

The ad causing controversy depicts a coat hanger and takes a stance on abortion, along with the slogan: "Your closet space is shrinking as fast as her right to choose."

Needless to say, it didn't take long for the backlash to come.

"These billboards, we think they're absolutely disgusting," said Kiera McCaffrey of the Catholic League.

"Or one thing, it's strange enough that this company feels the need to advertise their pro-abortion stance on their billboards for mini-storage units, but the fact that they have to do it in so vile a way."

Outrage and support predictably follow the established battle lines in America's long standing fight over abortion rights.

"We like the creativity, and we think it's an eye opener as well as engaging people in dialogue," said Silvia Henriques of the National Latina Institute.

Manhattan Mini Storage often uses liberal messages in its billboards, reflecting the politics of a city in which three-quarters of voters picked John Kerry over George Bush in 2004. Some of the billboards that can be seen around the city include:

* The catch-phrase, "The Democrats Cleaned The House ... Now It's Your Turn," superimposed over an elephant carrying a suitcase.

* The catch-phrase "Your Closet's Scarier Than Bush's Agenda," appearing on a confidential document.

But does the image of a coat hanger cross the line? Manhattan Mini Storage declined to comment.

New Yorkers, much like the rest of the country, seem split on the issue.

"I think it's kind of edgy," one woman said. "It's witty. It's OK."

Others say it's about choice -- not over abortion, but where they spend their money.

"If their service is something that I need, then I'll use it," one person said. "What their politics are doesn't really bother me. That's why we're America."

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha, the group that sponsors all of those fetus posters is upset about a pro-choice billboard with a wire coat hanger.

Archaic` · Post by **Archaic`** » 2007-08-16 09:17pm

“No…wire…hangers!”

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2007-08-16 09:18pm

I find it funny.

Zwinmar · Post by **Zwinmar** » 2007-08-16 09:22pm

Roflmao...thats all I need to say.

Roflmoa! doot do do do

Spice Runner · Post by **Spice Runner** » 2007-08-16 10:27pm

The Catholic League can take that false outrage and shove it up its holy ass.

Davis 51 · Post by **Davis 51** » 2007-08-16 11:14pm

The same Catholic League that was up in arms over South Park making fun of Catholics, but not making fun of Muslims, even though they did just that, just not 'extreme enough' (censoring out Muhammad).

The same Catholic League whose leader argued "free speech is a cop out" when it comes to violence in movies, right before telling the guy interviewing him to "shut up and let [him] finish."

It's like, every time they speak, they make an ass out of themselves.

AK-047 · Post by **AK-047** » 2007-08-16 11:19pm

Unfortunately, there will always be people to listen and agree with this sort of shit. I find the wit funny though.

The Guid · Post by **The Guid** » 2007-08-16 11:34pm

I love advertising like this because idiots always take the bait.

"Hey everybody! I dissaprove of this person here with their shiny new product! Yes... me the old fogie HATES this guy!"

Dominus Atheos · Post by **Dominus Atheos** » 2007-08-16 11:40pm

Some older Manhattan Mini-Storage ads:

And the one that has the fundies panties in a bunch:

Dominus Atheos · Post by **Dominus Atheos** » 2007-08-16 11:44pm

Edit: On second thought, maybe I shouldn't have inlined those. If a mod wants to change it, feel free to do so...

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2007-08-17 12:14am

Hooray for hypocrisy.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2007-08-17 12:34am

Coming from the person that takes every opportunity he can to turn any coat hanger, wet-dry vac, or piece of wire into an abortion joke...

I am amused

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2007-08-17 12:38am

I always find it amusing how the Catholic League (or any of these lame groups) seem to actually think that anyone else gives a shit.

Post by **Dalton** » 2007-08-17 12:48am

I really don't find it that funny, what with the obscene damage back-alley coathanger abortions can do.

That being said, it's a fucking advertisement. They should get over it, because their wish is not others' command.

Falkenhayn · Post by **Falkenhayn** » 2007-08-17 12:50am

Superman wrote:I always find it amusing how the Catholic League (or any of these lame groups) seem to actually think that anyone else gives a shit.

By virtue of their name, they compare themselves to the allied fleet of Don John of Austria, who crushed the Ottoman navy at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. They've got hubris in spades.

Tanasinn · Post by **Tanasinn** » 2007-08-17 01:03am

To be honest, a lot of these are damn clever, for storage advertising. I can't really fathom how anyone could seriously get in an uproar about this.

Andrew_Fireborn · Post by **Andrew_Fireborn** » 2007-08-17 02:50am

Dalton wrote:I really don't find it that funny, what with the obscene damage back-alley coathanger abortions can do.

That being said, it's a fucking advertisement. They should get over it, because their wish is not others' command.

It also reminds them that even when it was illegal, it still happened, so they're fighting an impossible battle.

Still, clever ads. Wouldn't mind it if more companies followed that example. (Rather than the near bog standard of slapping people with stupidity or annoyance...)

PeZook · Post by **PeZook** » 2007-08-17 08:40am

Now that's advertising. Some people may not find it funny, but it's clever and distincitve. I'd bet they're quite effective, too.

Turin · Post by **Turin** » 2007-08-17 09:12am

PeZook wrote:Now that's advertising. Some people may not find it funny, but it's clever and distincitve. I'd bet they're quite effective, too.

We're all talking about them, aren't we? And most of us don't even live in NYC. I'd say effective.

Personally, I think the ad's slightly tasteless, because the back-alley-coat-hanger abortion is hardly a laughing matter. But it appeals to my sense of black humor nonetheless.

PeZook · Post by **PeZook** » 2007-08-17 09:41am

Turin wrote:
PeZook wrote:Now that's advertising. Some people may not find it funny, but it's clever and distincitve. I'd bet they're quite effective, too.
We're all talking about them, aren't we? And most of us don't even live in NYC. I'd say effective.

Well, that only proves it's somewhat visible, not necessarily effective. I suppose it depends on their target audience, but it does seem well-suited to NYC. They probably have some hard data to support that, and, well...they're continuing with that campaign, aren't they?

Turin wrote:Personally, I think the ad's slightly tasteless, because the back-alley-coat-hanger abortion is hardly a laughing matter. But it appeals to my sense of black humor nonetheless.

I too thought they could've done a different quip on abortion for this reason, but it's excusable. Not everyone can be brilliant all the time

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2007-08-17 10:48am

I'll have to remember that company name...damn clever advertising, makes 'em worth my business in my book.

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2007-08-17 01:33pm

Well, you know what they say about disgruntled catholics; Holy See, Holy Do.

I saw those ads while I was in NY, it took me a couple of days to "get" them as the notion of conflating political agendas with selling locker space was not one I would've come up with.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2007-08-17 01:38pm

Molyneux wrote:I'll have to remember that company name...damn clever advertising, makes 'em worth my business in my book.

You need to grab peoples' attention when you don't have the budget for traditional marketing techniques, which are based on image saturation and Pavlovian response conditioning.

That NOS Guy · Post by **That NOS Guy** » 2007-08-17 01:42pm

Falkenhayn wrote: By virtue of their name, they compare themselves to the allied fleet of Don John of Austria, who crushed the Ottoman navy at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. They've got hubris in spades.

I thought that was the Holy League, the Catholic League being under Tilly against Adolphus at Breitenfeld, or am I mistaken?

As for the actual topic, the hypocrisy of it all. I find it highly offensive that they feel they have the right to threaten me with eternal torture but heaven help the ad agency that employs black humor.