05 June 2008

Disgusting? Funny? Both?

Seen this morning, on the local construction company truck in front of me on the highway:
"You need studs to build houses."
My first reaction was a laugh. Then I felt horrified. But then I laughed again. A horrified laughter. The slogan brought back a cliched conversation John and I had about how we needed a stud finder to make hanging pictures in our condo easier, but how it would constantly be going off and wouldn't that be annoying? 

But the slogan: disgusting? Funny? A little of both? What do you think?

37 comments:

Maura said...

I think it's funny. We had one and I used to make beeping sounds every time I carried it past my husband or, if I couldn't find studs in the wall, I would hold it near him and pretend it would beep to "make sure it was still working."

AnonaMum said...

I think Funny. But then I have the mind of an eleven year old boy sometimes and joke with my husband in that Beavis and Butthead way ("huh huh huh - she said 'studs'"

Jen said...

as someone who works in the construction and architectural industry.. i say HILARIOUS..

Anonymous said...

I think it's very funny. But then, many years ago I used to live down the street from a small church that would display inspirational messages on their sign out front. One time it said "Happiness is a direction, not a destination" or something, and one night some college kids snuck in and rearranged the sign to say "Happiness is an erection". To which, 10 years later, I still find pretty hilarious. I can just imagine the little old, blue-haired church secretary arriving to work and seeing that sign, clutching her bosom and saying something like "Oh DEAR!"

Anonymous said...

So funny!! I don't know any men who are offended by being called a stud...

JMB said...

Funny. And effective-you won't forget that slogan for a while!

Anonymous said...

Funny!

Tamar

SO said...

It doesn't explain why for every one 'studly' construction worker, there are a dozen pudgly, gruff, obnoxious ones with the 'plumber problem' going on...

Anonymous said...

I am apparently an 11 year old boy as well- I find it hilarious. I also laughed at happiness being an erection. heh.

CalBear1993 said...

I think it's pretty darn funny. Especially because I bet the general population might not know what the term "stud" means in the construction biz...

moo said...

Funny. You have to laugh at the puns in this world and not take them too seriously.

Besides, other than on HGTV, how many "studs" do you know who are carpenters? All the ones I know are fat and balding!

Sara said...

I think it's funny. And funny enough, my hubs pulled the same "joke" on me. He kept holding the stud finder up to himself and making it go off. Guys are so silly sometimes.

Becky said...

Funny. I love hunky construction workers. :)

Becky said...

Oh, and also I made that same joke about the stud finder when I was helping an ex-boyfriend hang pictures in his house. He didn't even know how to hammer a nail into a wall! And then after him I dated a carpenter.

Annie's Mom said...

Bahahahahaha....

HILARIOUS.

Kathryn said...

Well it made me giggle...would it really be offensive?

Snickollet said...

I guess "disgusting" might not be quite the right word--it felt sexist to me, since when I hear "stud" in that context, I think man, not woman, hence the conclusion that you need a man to build a house.

But that's probably overthinking it. Really, it's just a funny play on words.

Anonymous said...

Funny. What isn't funny is the "Elevator Repairmen always get it up" bumper sticker that I saw on a service van a couple of months ago. Slighly clever, but gross.

Unknown said...

I appreciate a good pun, but I feel sad for the female construction workers who may feel marginalized by that sort of attitude at work.

Andrea said...

That's awesome. My husband and I have also made reference when using a stud finder....!

Lyndsay said...

funny.

Amy said...

I think it is funny. We've made that stud finder joke around our house too.

What A Card said...

I vote funny with non-PC overtones as well. I see the "ick" factor...but still laughed.

But seriously, how well would a construction company do if they hired only hotties? I know I'd certainly ask them for a quote ;)

And I'm cracking up about the "Happiness is an erection" comment. Nice one, Julie!

Arwen said...

I think it's funny but then again I live in redneckville; if I let every sexist thing bother me, I'd be on beta blockers....

One of our local plumbers has "a flush beats a full house" as their slogan which I've always found comical.

Sharon Bartlett said...

Funny. With everything so hard and the economy sucking so bad, we all need to laugh more. I would have smiled to myself.

jo(e) said...

Funny because of the pun.

But sexist.

Kerrie said...

Pretty sexist, it's certainly inferring that studs are men but I find it clever and witty...a great advertising slogan.

It's obviously working because of this post and ensuing discussion and I guess that's what the intention was behind it.

Anonymous said...

Not hilarious, but definitely good marketing. Especially if the company has hot guys working for it, why not market it?

Debz said...

Oh no - very funny. And a cute memory to boot. Stud finder-haha

Jane said...

So funny.

Anonymous said...

I generally am sensitive to sexist stuff but I find it funny. It's just a pun. And, call me crazy, but I think some women would find it funny to call themselves studs, too.

Anonymous said...

As a woman working in a blue-collar, male-dominated industry, I find it funny. The sexist thought crossed my mind, but didn't stick. If a woman is going to be surrounded by men all the time, she can't get too worked up about that stuff. Enjoy the pun and shed the PCness!

Leigh said...

Funny. Witty. And a tad risque. But I would have welcomed the laugh.

watercolordaisy said...

hilarious. and i'm an architect.

Keen said...

Funny and not the least bit disgusting. :-)

In Costa Rica, there's a billboard on a major highway that says, "Empiece el día con huevos." It's an ad for a restaurant or eggs or something, I don't even know, and literally says "Start your day with eggs," but is actually dirtier than that in Spanish. It cracks me up every time I see it, and I can't believe it's still there.

amyinbc said...

It would have made me laugh! Great slogan, got us talking about it!

Anonymous said...

You need studs to build houses...
so funny.....



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