Callaway Golf and Good Good Golf are facing backlash after posting, then deleting, a controversial ad that depicted a man pushing a woman to the ground.
The video, which was removed by the golf brands on Aug. 21, was criticized for portraying violence against women. In response to the backlash, they issued an apology via social media.
"We posted a video to our channels that ultimately depicted actions that are not aligned with our values as a brand. We have since taken that content down, and sincerely apologize," the statement read.
But that didn't stop commenters from sharing their dislike of the ad on resurfaced clips.
"This is so much worse than I thought it was going to be...." one reacted. "Yeahhhhhh I don’t think any women (without internalized
misogyny) we’re (sic) in the room when this was pitched, approved or produced," another wrote. "@CallawayGolf come on, as a girl dad this is infuriating," another wrote.
Others were personally impacted. "Ugh. That ad is so triggering. (Domestic violence) isn’t a joke," someone wrote.
A 'visualization of a traumatic experience'
Melvin Williams, associate professor of communication and media studies at Pace University, says it's not surprising that people have reacted so strongly, given that media can mirror and amplify real-world atrocities like gender inequality and acts of violence against women.
"When media present abusive or violent experiences of any kind, fellow survivors enhance those depictions with their own stories, complex perspectives and healing resources," he told USA TODAY. "Satirical or not, the Callaway Golf and Good Good commercial was an infelicitous visualization of a traumatic experience far too many girls and women survivors of violence know all too well."
In a video posted to TikTok, Under The Desk News host Vitus "V" Spehar noted, "What's really interesting about this is how incredibly tone deaf and awful an idea it was, but also the fact that this is the first time that I could find that Good Good Golf had featured a female in any of their social media advertising at all."
"Apologies have been made, but the damage is kind of done. Especially when you consider that acts of violence from men upon women, where golf club is the weapon, is more common than not," Spehar added, citing a 2008 murder case and other high-profile instances where a golf club was used as a weapon.
In the comment section, people agreed.
"If you switch out a puppy for the woman then that ad would never have been approved," one user commented on the TikTok.
"Women golfers and wives of golfers definitely heard this. Big mistake, huge… we won’t be buying Callaway or products/promotions advertised by Good Good," another wrote.
"The number of men I have seen repost it saying 'I don’t see what the problem is' or 'America has gone soft' is actually terrifying," another said.
A history of violence against women in advertising
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time an ad has depicted something like this. There is a "detrimental history of violence against women being normalized and perpetuated in advertising as satirical content forms," Williams said.
When this happens, women and their bodies are commodified in dangerous way, according to Williams. They're dehumanized and a "spectatorship climate" is fostered where violence against them seems less abominable or even accepted, he explained.
"When it becomes acceptable, even in a satirical advertisement," Williams added, "the abuse of women is minimized, romanticized and presented to audiences as entertainment, humorous or shock value devices."
Contributing: Elizabeth Flores, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: That 'tone deaf' Callaway golf club ad and why it upset so many
