Introduction task
How is Gender represented in this Advert?:
In the 1950s, a company by the name of Alcoa aluminium produced an advert- showcasing their new aluminium bottle cap (on a Del monte ketchup bottle) in a rather belittling way towards women. Presented in the advert, is a young woman that fits the ‘ideal’ beauty standard of the 50s showing a rather amused/intrigued expression with a classic rouge lip look- holding the product that is being advertised. This advert enforces the sexist stereotype that women are ‘weak and fragile’ by mocking how women are incapable of opening something as simple as a ketchup bottle through the rhetorical question: ‘You mean a woman can open it?’. The advertisers knew that by putting an innocent and attractive woman in the advert- would make the product sell more, indicating that the target audience would be men. Not only are women being presented in multiple adverts (such as this one) in a derogatory way, but also they’re being infantilized, as the younger and innocent-seeming a woman was, the more men she would pull in. This links back to the woman presented in the advert, suggesting that the advertisers knew that their target audience would see her in a sexualised way- resulting in profit being raised, as not only will the target audience find the rhetorical question amusing- but they would also purchase the product as a beautiful woman was presented in the advert, showcasing said object. Another key feature that links back to how women are represented in the advert, is the use of the colour red. The colour red is clearly shown to be quite prominent, as it is shown to be the colour of the woman’s lipstick and nails, implying that women choose to be desired, as the colour red is associated with passion and desire- linking back to the product, as that is red as well, meaning that both the woman and the product are seen as desirables in the target audience’s eyes. To wrap it up, this advert represents women in a depreciative way, as it makes them seem like they are ‘weak and fragile’ as well as being ‘desirables’ to men (comparing them to the product in a way, hinting that women are also seen as objects in the media)
How is Gender represented in this Advert?:
In 2014, the company Rowntree's of York produced an advert for their Yorkie chocolate bar that was rather sexist towards men, pinning the ‘alpha-male’ stereotype to them. Presented in the advert, is a man (that seems to be middle-aged) that has trouble picking up the grocery bags to take back to his house, but mid-way as he’s losing hope, he reminds himself that he has to stay ‘manly’- eventually taking the bags back to his house, enjoying his Yorkie bar at the end. This advert enforces the stereotype that all men are ‘strong and manly’ along with the idea that they have to stay powerful to uphold the ‘alpha male’ image, to not come off as weak. The ‘alpha male’ stereotype is being enforced by how the man is thinking, what he’s wearing and what he looks like. For example, alpha men tend to give off a ‘heroic’ vibe, as well as being painted as the ‘ruggish’’ and ‘buff’ type, like the man shown in the advert (this setting the ideal standard for men). Along with this, not only does the advert paint men like the type to always be ‘motivated’ by a surge of ‘manliness’ but also, the type to act upon things to prove that they’re the stronger and far superior ones (shown when he drops the bags and gives his wife a reassuring nod) This indicates that the advertisers knew that by putting a man who sets the ideal standard of a ‘strong alpha male’, more men would be persuaded to buy the product, aiming to be like the man in the advert (men being the targeted audience here). Additionally, the slogan ‘it’s not for girls’ may also convince men to buy the chocolate bar, as the chocolate itself is associated with men only. To wrap it up, men are portrayed as ones who constantly need to be strong and manly for others to rely on them, upholding the ‘alpha male’ image (stereotyping this)
How is Gender represented in this Music Video ?:
In December of 2019, a singer/songwriter known as Melanie Martinez produced a song mentioning the numerous stereotypes surrounding women and their bodies, and how men have normalised these stereotypes against women. The first popular stereotype that is visibly prominent throughout the video is how women are compared to being ‘doll-like’ with tiny waists and fair faces. This is shown through the backup dancers’ costume, makeup and dance moves- the costume consisting of a baby pink one piece (that is quite revealing from below the waist), rosy pink cheeks & lips, topped off with the proactive dance moves indicating that women are sexualised even at a young age due to their looks and youth.
Along with this, throughout the music video- Melanie heavily hints that women are only seen as ‘desirables’ from a man’s point of view, using different stereotypes in play to link back to this idea. As she does this, she consistently associates women with being ‘strawberry shortcakes’ implying that the more beautiful and young a woman is- the more desirable she seems, making her a ‘strawberry shortcake’ that men can’t get enough of (even at a young age). Going back to the’ strawberry shortcake’ idea, Melanie not only compares women to this because of their features but also strongly suggests at the end of the video- that once men have had enough of a ‘strawberry shortcake’ it’s tossed aside, discarded- as the men enjoy their taking of it (giving the impression that once a woman has been used by a man til he doesn’t want her anymore, she is left to fend for herself- her only option being a housewife). To conclude, the song presents how women are seen through the eyes of a man- bringing up numerous stereotypes such as women being seen as ‘fair dolls and being ‘gentle and emotional’.
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