OPEN LETTER TO EMMA QUAYLE AT THE AGE AND NEIL MITCHELL AT 3AW AND MICHAEL CARR GREGG

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE AGE, 3AW, EMMA QUAYLE, NEIL MITCHELL AND MICHAEL CARR GREGG FROM ULTRATUNE RUBBER GIRLS LAURA LYDALL AND PARNIA PORSCHE

 

Dear Emma, Neil, Michael and the Editor at The Age,

 

Thank you for your comments on our appearances in the UltraTune tv commercials. You are of course entitled to voice your displeasure and give your opinions on what you think should and shouldn’t be screened on television and on our appearances and performance.

 

Whereas Emma you think we are “helpless, screeching women doing idiotic things” in the adverts and Michael you believe the adverts are “sexist and disgraceful”. Well we are disappointed and horrified.  

 

We feel upset that you are publicly bullying and vilifying us on the basis of our appearance. It's just plain wrong and unfair, Emma and Michael. Surely as independent strong women, we are allowed to choose without fear of prejudice or hurtful judgements about what we wear, how we look and the form of work we choose?

 

We think you are being too politically correct, taking cheap shots and missing the whole point of the commercials. Don't you have a sense of humour? Don’t you see the point of the adverts? Can’t you see the funny side? The adverts are meant to be funny. They are meant to have cut through so that people notice them and believe it or not but we both really enjoyed making them, love having fun and love the fact that we are able to promote an amazing company like UltraTune that provides employment all around Australia and provides a positive service to the public.

 

It really is unbelievable that you both are causing such a fuss about a couple of TV commercials as though they are the scourge of society and the end of the world as you know it. The adverts are not works of art that you may see in the National Gallery in Canberra. They are fun TV commercials .Where is this going to end? This is political correctness gone wild!

 

We feel disappointed that you view our work as a “complete and utter abomination” when we had so much fun working with UltraTune. The ads we have done for UltraTune are certainly out of the box and are meant to grab the attention of the audience to make them talk, and make them laugh!We are proud of all our work with UltraTune. The story told in the ads is about two girls on an adventure who end up in some unexpected situations – not two helpless idiots.

 

Moving forward may we suggest that in the future both of you think about your judgemental words carefully, because we believe a lot of men like the commercials and a lot of women can relate to us – and we don’t consider ourselves helpless or “idiots”.

Using us a punching bag for a cheap headline does not do either of you justice in our opinion. 

 

Best wishes,

Laura and Parnia.