I am writing with regard to the ad for the Whiskey Nightclub which appeared in the Sept. 4 and 11 issues of the Gauntlet. The ad depicts a young woman wearing a vest with a button on it. The button contained a statement which unfortunately offended a number of Gauntlet readers.
Our ads are created by an agency that has done work for us for a number of years. Ads which have previously appeared in the Gauntlet were created by the same agency. This particular ad was e-mailed to me for proofing. The writing on the button was not legible in the e-mail copy of the ad proof which was sent to me, I was never aware of the contents of the button. I would not have approved the ad had I realized what it said.
As to the remainder of the copy and the general content of the ad, I recognize that it might not conform to everyone’s taste. The Gauntlet is not a conservative paper however, and in comparing this ad to others in the same edition I do not believe that it goes beyond the boundaries of what is acceptable for this newspaper. In particular, I refer to the ads for at least two other nightclubs which appeared in those editions.
It is not my intent or practice, or that of the Whiskey Nightclub, to promote the objectification or exploitation of women. I apologize to anyone who may have been offended by the writing on the button or who formed the impression that it was the intent of the message to promote date rape or any other form of exploitation. Anyone who has patronized the Whiskey can attest to the fact that it is not only fun, but is also safe and very responsibly run.