Don't Use Sexual Harassment to Sell Doughnuts

Quik Trip is a chain of convienience stores in 10 states. They have a heavy representation in the State of Georgia, over a hundred stores. I am a frequent customer. They are clean, well lighted at night, and their employees are efficient and generally friendly. I even enlisted them one time to come to a job fair I was hosting at a local high school. So what I am about to say does not come from a dislike of the company or its business.

I heard one of their radio ads the other morning and I was APPALLED! Here is the scenario of the ad. A woman in an office is having to fend off the attention of a co-worker wants to date her. He is persistent and pushy. He promises to stop asking her for a date if she will go out one time for coffee with him. She relents and she picks Quik Trip for a cup of coffee... and oh, a doughnut, because it is quick, with the emphasis on the quick. That way she can be done with him in short order and not have to endure a disagreeable date.

Well perhaps it is my HR sensabilities but I practically screamed at the radio "YOU CAN'T USE SEXUAL HARASSMENT TO SELL DOUGHNUTS!" I can guarantee the marketing person that put that ad together was not a woman. Too many women in business and school have to deal with this kind of crappy situation. And they should not have to. This woman in the commericial should have been reporting this jerk to her boss or HR department rather than accepting a "date" that could lead to an unsafe situation.

I would encourage Quik Trip to drop this ad as soon as possible and to encourge their ad agency to engage in some sexual harassment training awareness because obviously they don't get it. (BTW, I happen to know a consultant that could help them with that. ) Perhaps in the future they need to have HR screen some of the ads.

But as a lesson to everyone, DON'T USE SEXUAL HARASSMENT TO SELL ANYTHING.