I WANT TO EAT A NUT OF LAERMA!

WTF? (WHAT'S TARGET 'FINKING?)

Okay, Target's new back-to-school advertising campaign includes a commercial for backpacks with a reworked-lyrics version of Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back". ("I like big butts and I cannot lie. You other brothers can't deny." "My anaconda don't want none unless you've got buns hon.")

You can see the ad on Target's Channel Red website. (Launch the video screen and, currently, it's the second ad, "Baby Got Back... Pack".)

What the fuck?

I don't have a problem with the original song; it's great bawdy, slightly naughty, fun with lyrics that are almost like an "urban" American version of the sorts of risqué-but-harmless lyrics that Benny Hill would sing on his TV programme. Anyone who's a fan of Beavis and Butt-Head will remember that Beavis and Butt-Head were awestruck by the song in one of the best music video bits ever, a segment that likely made the song a crossover hit with us white folks. (It's too bad that we will likely never see the segment on DVD, due to the fact that the music rights would be astronomical.) And I loved seeing Cameron Diaz shake her tush to it in Charlie's Angels, which is still my favourite movie from 2000. (Yes, I said that with a straight face; I didn't care that much for any of the Oscar bait that year.)

But, and this is a big but (and I can't deny), I'm afraid that I'm rather uncomfortable seeing preteen children associated in any way with the song, since "Baby Got Back" most certainly is NOT a children's song. Even if the lyrics have been de-sexed ("We like backpacks and we can't deny. With a cell phone pocket on the side."), just seeing kids bopping around to the tune of the song makes me a bit uneasy. It just seems... wrong. Just a bit ill-conceived, in my opinion.

(Plus, how can a back-to-school ad use a song with a grammatically-incorrect title? It should be "Baby's got back"!)

I'm not going to boycott Target over this, not that I could even if I wanted to since we don't have Target stores in Canada, but someone at whichever advertising agency Target uses should be demoted for an appauling lack of judgement.

I'm not the only person who has problems with the spot either (though I started writing this entry before I noticed that).

posted by Steve Brandon @ 2:31 AM