Snickers Australia video gets some buzz, but not for the right reasons

If you’re a woman — especially a woman living in a big city — then you’ve likely experienced the construction worker catcall. It’s a stereotypical scenario, but it’s a stereotype for a reason: it happens all of the time. Snickers Australia’s latest ad plays on this stereotype in a way that’s meant to empower women, but the Snickers tagline at the end brings in to question how empowering the ad’s message really is.

The spot features a group of Aussie construction workers calling out to women passing by on the street. However, instead of shouting out the expected propositions ranging from flirtatious to lewd, these construction guys shout out words of encouragement and female empowerment. For example, one worker tells a woman that the color of her shirt is really working on her and then wishes her a “productive day.” Another worker shouts out, “Wanna hear a dirty word? Gender bias.” A third asserts that a woman’s place is “wherever she chooses.”