EOC Week 4: The Role of Women in Advertisements

If you take the time to watch, or look at advertisements today, you might notice that they are largely targeted towards women. In the 1960’s, men were seen as the breadwinners, while women took care of the house. This image is still portrayed today through ads. The vast majority of cleaning products advertisements are aimed at women. For example, this Swiffer ad has a woman proudly displaying one of their products, “He made it in the kitchen, and ate it in the dining room. With Swiffer Wet Jet, both floors were clean before he was.” Women are not always happy at being seen as the maid though, and yet, advertisers choose to direct their cleaning products toward them because if she doesn’t clean up his mess, who will? In an article on ctworkingmoms.com, marie5k says, “…no, I’m not happily dancing around my living room in them while I Swiffer out dust bunnies and coughed up cat hair balls.  Nope, I’m hastily making my way around my house with that thing trying to break last week’s record of 13 minutes from one end of the house to the other”.

Another way women are portrayed as today are as sex objects. That’s right, I said objects rather than people. In many advertisements, parts of women’s bodies are shown to capture the viewer’s attention. Breaking their bodies into these distinguishable parts only serves to exemplify them more. The after effects only seem to reinforce the idea that women are here to serve men. In an article titled Sex and Relationships in the Media, the author points out that “Although women’s sexuality is no longer a taboo subject, many researchers question whether or not the blatant sexualization of women’s bodies in the media is liberating”. There is the idea that women need only concern themselves in attracting and sexually satisfying men.

Today, women serve many roles. The housewife, the perfect mom, the cook, the maid, the worker, the sex goddess, to name a few. We are expected to be every single one at any given moment. It’s time to choose one and stick to it. 

EOC Week 3: Thank You For Smoking

For years, tobacco companies have been trying to come up with new, intriguing ways to appeal to new, younger generations of smokers. In the ad below, Chesterfield cigarettes puts the cap on their target audience.

1. Determine the scenario: What happens in this frame?

     In this frame, Chesterfield shows a young woman, with a graduation cap and their

     brand of cigarettes.

2. What is the setting? What are the conditions?

     The setting is a simple background to better emphasize their product, and the

     conditions are the possible after effects of a graduation ceremony.

3. Who are the people or groups?

     The person in the ad itself is an attractive, typical American girl, or young woman

     rather, barely old enough to make decisions, and yet, she’s choosing Chesterfield.

     With this in mind, the company is trying to appeal to the same target audience.

4. What is their point of view around this specific experience?

     The company’s point of view around this specific experience would be to sell

     more cigarettes to a younger generation.

5. What are their goals?

     With the above answer in mind, Chesterfield’s goals would be to encourage

     growth within a younger demographic to be able to target more long term

     customers.

6. What are their assumptions? What are their perceptions?

     The company’s assumptions are that someone in the same age range is more

     likely to appeal to them. Their perceptions are that their target audience would

     be more accepting and willing to try something made cool to them.

7. Are there conflicts? Is there cooperation?

     There are always conflicts when it comes to big tobacco. Getting people to smoke,

     particularly those educated on the product itself and the health risks involved is a

     huge challenge. The girl in the ad has a graduation cap on, giving the impression

     that she is educated.

8. What are the outcomes?

     I think the outcomes of this advertisement, are that a younger generation became

     more willing to try cigarettes.

Ad campaigns like this are certainly not going to stop. Companies have found a way of reaching their targeted audience, and this is a perfect example of it. 

EOC Week 2: Questionable Ethics in Advertising

“Did you know there is lead in some candy from Mexico? It is true that lead has been found in some chili and tamarind candy from Mexico” (http://www.leadinmexicancandy.com/flyer.html). Ice cream trucks are a great resource for kids to have their treats brought directly to them, making it to where they don't have to ask mom and dad for a trip to the store. Unfortunately, they may have to start asking for a trip to the doctor if ice cream trucks keep providing Lucas, a product linked to having disturbing amounts of lead. Their colorful packaging is able to attract kids into buying one of the most harmful products available to them.

 

Sex and cigarettes don’t typically go together unless you’re thinking of movies and t.v. shows where the couple smokes after a steamy session. An ad from Paris changes this thought by posing a young boy about to give a man in a suit oral sex with the man’s penis replaced by a cigarette. The same is done with a young girl. Underneath, the caption reads Smoking means being a slave to tobacco. “The leader of the organization behind the campaign acknowledged the ads were meant to shock and said such provocative campaigns were the only way to reach young people” (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35565815).


 

Using celebrities in ad campaigns is a popular way to gain attention, particularly within the younger demographic. Like it or not, they have the power to skyrocket a group or company depending on how they choose to view an ad. Shocking pictures tend to catch younger viewers eyes, allowing them to be influenced or opinionated by the ad itself and remember it better. This tactic was used for an ad to get 18 year olds to vote. “Declare Yourself’s campaign blankets the landscape of popular culture, as well as universities and high schools, with a simple, clear message: REGISTER and VOTE!” (http://www.kindaa.com/jessica-alba-and-christina-aguilera-new-controversial-ad-pics/).

About Me

Since a very young age, photography has always been a part of my life. My mother was a photographer, and often carted me around to work with her. Being in that environment helped shape me into the artist I am today. I recently graduated from Las Vegas Academy, an art school that helped me hone in my skills, and develop new ones. It was there that I realized photography was something I didn’t want to give up. I was faced with the challenge of figuring out how to make it a career. Let’s face it, photographers’ worth only increases after death. Although it’s not all about the money for me, I do want to be able to survive in today’s society, working at a job that I love. This is how I landed on the idea of going into the artistic side of advertising. I am currently studying this field at the Art Institute of Las Vegas. Here, I plan to spend the next four years learning the skills I need to make it in the advertising world. I know there is a lot more to it than just the creative aspect, and I know I have the patience to fulfill these extra requirements. Having the opportunity to create something will allow me to achieve my dreams of bringing photography to a modern day career. 

EOC Week 1: VW Lemon

The Volkswagen Lemon ad campaign is probably one of the most famous ads of the twentieth century. It’s simplicity and duality are able to capture an audience with a wide range of reactions. The ad itself includes a black and white picture of a Volkswagen beetle with the word lemon and an article underneath. If you proceed to read the article, it goes on to talk about the blemishes within the car itself. The model the ad designers chose was not their newest, swankiest model they had, but rather an older car that seemed just fine. The ad points out, however, that the chrome strip on the glove compartment is blemished and must be replaced, something not noticed to the average consumer (http://www.powerwriting.com/vw-lemon-ad.html). Volkswagen inspector Karl Kroner noticed, allowing marketers to proclaim that their team is top notch, and filled with some of the most detail oriented men in the inspection business.

“The Volkswagen ad campaign was unlike any before it, ushering in an era of modern advertising that truly changed how advertising agencies accomplish their trade” (Lemon Coleman). The advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach is responsible for creating this ad and changing the advertising world as we know it. Because the ad itself is so simple, it allows consumers to focus on one thing and one thing only, and that is the car (Volkswagen Ad Campaign Was Far From A Lemon Ogden). Why else have an advertisement?

To me, the Volkswagen Lemon ad allowed the company to show its product in a very innovative way. DDB ushered in a new revolution to reach its desired market and increase sales substantially. At that time, Volkswagen became very popular with this ad to thank. The creators influenced other ads, changing the way to appeal to the common man. We can still see this technique used today which makes them remarkably timeless.