Barbara Lippert's Critique: Nike's Runners-Up

At first I thought this Nike spot was an ad for pants, since it features a flying bum. (A female one, so could it be called a flying buttress?) Certainly, the focus on the rear is a bit disconcerting, even if it is encased in tight black running pants (the little zipper pocket with the tiny red swoosh looks great). But this butt is in fantastic shape, which raises the question, When is it safe to objectify a woman’s derriere? And not just in a quick cut, but in a rather intense, prolonged close-up, in slow mo yet, so that every part of the gluteus maximus (or in this case, minimus) is shown bouncing?

I’d say the act moves away from assploitation when the owner of said rear is so willing to disembody and objectify herself that she gleefully refers to her behind in the third person.