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We live in an age inundated with advertising, and some of the ads we see are full of stock photos of people living unrealistic lives that look almost too perfect or deranged.
Classical pianist Sharon Su was looking for a bathtub tray online, and while looking through the product photos, it struck her that most of them featured women doing things one would normally never do in real life, reports the Daily Mail.
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In a now viral twitter thread, Sharon exposed how bathtub tray ads are some of the worst around when it comes to the way they portray women. . She sarcastically calls out the obvious marketing pitch from manufacturers for women to rethink their regular bathing habits. Now we know a tiny pink towel resting on a tray doesn’t look marketable, but this is a bit much.
"The people who manufacture bathtub trays seem to have no idea what women actually do in the bath and I find that strangely comforting," she started.
The people who manufacture bathtub trays seem to have no idea what women actually do in the bath and I find that strangely comforting pic.twitter.com/wHWCRteSYO
— Sharon Su (@doodlyroses) March 24, 2019
I am as entertained as Sharon. I wonder if there's someone who would indulge in coffee, wine and salad especially since in my case the probability of shattered glass as a knee rose too far out the water would be too high.
Love sitting in a bubble bath with a glass of wine and a [checks notes] small undressed salad pic.twitter.com/NgA3ri2wXb
— Sharon Su (@doodlyroses) March 24, 2019
She went on to post a photo of a bathtub tray with rose petals, red wine, a latte, an iPhone and iPad.
You know it's not a complete bath without a glass of red wine, a tiny latte, and an empty mug. Ambience brought to you by a phone video of a woman playing a ukulele and a handful of rose petals where your undressed salad normally goes pic.twitter.com/yFkBPczJfK
— Sharon Su (@doodlyroses) March 24, 2019
In this photo, the woman has multiple kinds of cheese. I love cheese, but wouldn’t it get really gross from the steam and the heat? Or what if your cat comes in the bathroom and knocks the tray into the tub?
READ MORE: 5 steamy bathroom trends that'll make it big this year
The EXCESS in this photo! White AND red wine! Green AND purple grapes! Eight kinds of cheese! And the piece de resistance...not one, but TWO phones pic.twitter.com/NulMR2S1yE
— Sharon Su (@doodlyroses) March 24, 2019
Where are the real bath-time essentials like masks, bubble bath, shampoo, conditioner, razors and exfoliators?
Look if you're not chowing down on waffles and hot dogs while gazing at stock photography of the ocean then what are you even doing pic.twitter.com/2EQvQNsa9k
— Sharon Su (@doodlyroses) March 24, 2019
This photo shows a bathtub tray holding nail polish, lip gloss, cornflakes, a candle (okay, yes), cocktail (not a problem), an Iphone and an iPad open to a National Geographic article (how do you scroll up or swipe across with wet pruny fingers?).
As a woman, I enjoy painting my nails in the bathtub while simultaneously grabbing handfuls of cornflakes, reading about global warning, and watching people playing lady and the tramp with a giant sandwich pic.twitter.com/OlBddJn8xq
— Sharon Su (@doodlyroses) March 24, 2019
A man who enjoys collecting and researching vintage periodicals chimed in and schooled us about a literary woman from 1872 who was captured writing a book in the bath using a bathtub tray, who would've thought?
READ MORE: ICYMI: I was bathed by someone I didn't know - twice
This has been going on for quite some time. As noted on the caption of this 1872 periodical, this Literary Lady of Boston was depicted writing books in the bath, and appears to have a complete reference library at the ready for this endeavor. pic.twitter.com/l2XNHXINEc
— Mark Seifert (@markseifert01) March 24, 2019
We're not ruling out a bathtub tray if you enjoy taking long luxurious and nutritious soaks. They definitely come in handy when you want to tweet, read, eat and bath all at the same time.
Here are other bizarre and unrealistic things women do in advertisements:
Washing their face by recklessly flinging water into the air. Or are is there a sink in the shower?
Waxing or shaving a perfectly hairless leg. Maybe she was done?
I love ice cream but it's really not that deep.
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