Here we plan to analyze the portrayal in the most prominent part of the media : advertisements
Everyday we are constantly told what to buy. This is often done through advertisements. Advertisements can take on many forms, they can be commercials, a full page spread in a magazine, a giant billboard. More so advertisements are everywhere: billboards, bus benches, magazines, newspapers and even online. In a culture were we are often told how to look, and what to buy many of us no longer consciously pay attention to them.
Advertisements however have appropriated women's bodies in order to sell the consumers products. A women's body is objectified and often it is split into parts. As a result she dehumanized and is now nothing more than an object selling an object. The video below further explains the role advertisements have in constructing and deconstructing women and their bodies. -Gloria Ruiz
Fashion Advertisements by Gloria Ruiz
In order for a brand or a designer to succeed in the fashion industry they must ensure a steady stream of customers willing to purchase their designs. One way of obtaining customers is through advertisements. Within these advertisements however the portrayal of women is a negative one.
Take the Guess advertisement on the left for example. In the first part of the advertisement we can only see the bottom half of the female model. Through the depiction of only her lower half she is no longer complete. The sexual pose in which she stands in is no longer strongly apparent. Contrast this model's half body to the full body portrayal of the male model next to the image. It is apparent that while the female body can be cut and centered on specific parts the male body cannot. The focus on the female body is not the body as a complete entity, but just a focus on a nice pair of jeans.
The fashion advertisement on the right however takes a different approach to the portrayal of women. Here the women are portrayed as "addicted to fashion." Addiction has never been seen as good portrayal, through this portrayal of women as "addicts" this advertisement has only further demeaned women in the advertising world. Through the portrayal of women as "addicts," women are once again presented as needing saving. The savior in this scenario however is not a knight in shinning armor but a fashionable article of clothing from Sisley. Another important aspect in this advertisement is the portrayal of the female body. In contrast to the Guess ad, here we have a full body portrayal of not one but two female bodies. These bodies encourage an ultra-thin physique, which can be seen through the thinness of the arms in both models. Not only does this advertisement, present women as needing to be saved but it also encourages and reinforces the idea of an ultra thin female body. -Gloria Ruiz
Donna Karen, Adriana Lima, And Haiti: By Hana Salameh Donna Karen, one of the worlds most influential fashion designers is known for her classic styles as well as her charity work in Haiti. Her most recent collection's ad campaign features supermodel Adriana Lima dressed in rich colors, and garments inspired by Haitian culture. However, as striking as the ad is at first glance, it boasts a strong and oppressive feminist message to the fashion industry and its consumers. The ad features a spotlight focused on a lighter skinned Lima, who is actually placed in front of two darker skinned Haitians in normal clothing. The light is so concentrated on Lima that the Haitians are almost unrecognizable. And while Lima herself is actually Brazillian, her portrayal in this ad promotes the idea that lighter skinned females are more deserving of the spotlight, attention, success, and luxurious things. The ad overall encourages the oppression of women of other skintones, classes, and races and supports those of lighter skin colors. - Hana Salameh
Food Advertisements
The food industry is also very apparent in the advertisement world. Through advertisements fast food chains, breweries, restaurants, and others in the food industry can promote their products. In these promotions women are also apparent. Women in food commercials serve to make the product being sold seem more appealing in a sexual way.
The ad on the left by Burger King uses the image of the woman to advertise their new "Super Seven Incher" burger. The presence of the woman serves only to further enhance the sexual reference right below. The connection between sex and food is women. Women serve to sexualize food in hopes that men will want to purchase said item. The woman in this ad is mere a prop. Once again we see the woman body cut up into parts into only the necessary parts needed for the advertisement to function. More so the way in which the woman is fashioned gives her a cartoon-like appearance. This in turn also dehumanizes her as a result the image she creates is not as powerful.
The advertisement on the right does not depict a woman. It does however appropriate an issue associated with the female body. This advertisement is intended for women which can explain why the female body is not shown. It takes a medical condition and turns it into a joke by the suggestion that the remedy is a cupcake and cocktail. This advertisement shows to prove that not only women bodies are appropriated but also those themes associated with women.
Within the food advertisement there has been a recent phenomena. Fast food chains specifically Carl's Jr, have begun to extremely sexualize their food. The first example of such a commercial with a "sexy" burger starred Paris Hilton. The commercials feature the chosen starlet eating the burger and having the burger drip all over. In addition to messily eating the burger the chosen star is often the owner of a luxurious car. These commercials are explicitly geared towards the male audience. They feature beautiful women, (Kim Kardashian and Miss Turkey have also appeared), luxury classic cars, and burgers. The latest commercial stars Kate Upton and it is available for your viewing pleasure below. - Gloria Ruiz
Alcohol Advertisement -julia olson
The above advertisement for Svedka completely objectifies the female body. She is viewed as a robot to be looked at and used, with no needs or desires of her own. Her only function is to serve the male. This advertises the vodka as something to make women turn into a device for sex and service. By calling her a "trophy wife", the ad indicates that this is a paradigm for a desirable partner.
Vehicle Advertisement
-julia olson
The ad above is sexist to both men and women. Firstly, it says that men are only interested in cars and sex. This portrays them as animals who lack sophistication and want only the satisfaction of possession, which is where the ad becomes sexist to women. Women are paralleled with the BMW car, an object to be owned. In this scene the man is giving attention to both the woman and the car, while she gives attention only to him. It is apparent that she doesn't have much personal connection with him as her face is covered, rendering her anonymous.
This ad obviously portrays women as cute and simple, but unable to understand or handle things on their own. The women's big bright eyes and lip-biting show a naive stupidity. The ad basically says that this car is easy enough to use that even women can drive it, implying that women are not as good of drivers, or intelligent enough to understand.
The video below attempts to sell a car in a very sexual way. It portrays women as blind and stupid; unable to tell the difference between a car stick and a penis, and not caring. The ad also emphasizes the idea of the man in the drivers seat, in control, while the woman works hard to please him.
The "Mother/Wife" Role
-julia olson
This commercial not only confines the women to the mother/wife role, but alsodegrades it. It also portrays the idea that men are unable to cook or handle any "womanly" duties. The ManMom feeds the family chips out of inadequacy on his/her part.
Women in Ads over time
-julia olson
From the very beginnings of women's portrayal in society, their image has been focused on body parts, particularly breasts. In the image above, native carvings of women depict them with enlarged breasts and minuscule heads, emphasizing that their importance lies in their physicality and not mentality. These images introduces a classic ideal of the woman as the "homemaker": cooking, cleaning, and raising the children. She lovingly dotes upon her husband and spends hours cooking to please him. This woman is pretty to look at but doesn't have much to her mentally.
These images, selling cigarettes, indicate a woman who likes the male dominance. These women are portrayed as weak and willing to follow the man in whatever he asks of them.
These ads portray women in a hypersexualized light. The items being sold are often scarcely noticeable among the female bodies and promiscuity. Companies have found that by making sex the main focus, the product sells better.
With our society becoming increasingly focused on thin and slim, models, as well as non-models, are commonly becoming too skinny in an effort to look attractive. In the past, models were photoshopped to look thinner, but are now commonly being edited to look more normal weights. This is unhealthy and projects a bad image for women.
Advertisements
Here we plan to analyze the portrayal in the most prominent part of the media : advertisementsEveryday we are constantly told what to buy. This is often done through advertisements. Advertisements can take on many forms, they can be commercials, a full page spread in a magazine, a giant billboard. More so advertisements are everywhere: billboards, bus benches, magazines, newspapers and even online. In a culture were we are often told how to look, and what to buy many of us no longer consciously pay attention to them.
Advertisements however have appropriated women's bodies in order to sell the consumers products. A women's body is objectified and often it is split into parts. As a result she dehumanized and is now nothing more than an object selling an object. The video below further explains the role advertisements have in constructing and deconstructing women and their bodies. -Gloria Ruiz
Fashion Advertisements by Gloria Ruiz
In order for a brand or a designer to succeed in the fashion industry they must ensure a steady stream of customers willing to purchase their designs. One way of obtaining customers is through advertisements. Within these advertisements however the portrayal of women is a negative one.
Take the Guess advertisement on the left for example. In the first part of the advertisement we can only see the bottom half of the female model. Through the depiction of only her lower half she is no longer complete. The sexual pose in which she stands in is no longer strongly apparent. Contrast this model's half body to the full body portrayal of the male model next to the image. It is apparent that while the female body can be cut and centered on specific parts the male body cannot. The focus on the female body is not the body as a complete entity, but just a focus on a nice pair of jeans.
The fashion advertisement on the right however takes a different approach to the portrayal of women. Here the women are portrayed as "addicted to fashion." Addiction has never been seen as good portrayal, through this portrayal of women as "addicts" this advertisement has only further demeaned women in the advertising world. Through the portrayal of women as "addicts," women are once again presented as needing saving. The savior in this scenario however is not a knight in shinning armor but a fashionable article of clothing from Sisley. Another important aspect in this advertisement is the portrayal of the female body. In contrast to the Guess ad, here we have a full body portrayal of not one but two female bodies. These bodies encourage an ultra-thin physique, which can be seen through the thinness of the arms in both models. Not only does this advertisement, present women as needing to be saved but it also encourages and reinforces the idea of an ultra thin female body. -Gloria Ruiz
Donna Karen, Adriana Lima, And Haiti: By Hana Salameh
Donna Karen, one of the worlds most influential fashion designers is known for her classic styles as well as her charity work in Haiti. Her most recent collection's ad campaign features supermodel Adriana Lima dressed in rich colors, and garments inspired by Haitian culture. However, as striking as the ad is at first glance, it boasts a strong and oppressive feminist message to the fashion industry and its consumers. The ad features a spotlight focused on a lighter skinned Lima, who is actually placed in front of two darker skinned Haitians in normal clothing. The light is so concentrated on Lima that the Haitians are almost unrecognizable. And while Lima herself is actually Brazillian, her portrayal in this ad promotes the idea that lighter skinned females are more deserving of the spotlight, attention, success, and luxurious things. The ad overall encourages the oppression of women of other skintones, classes, and races and supports those of lighter skin colors. - Hana Salameh
Food Advertisements
The food industry is also very apparent in the advertisement world. Through advertisements fast food chains, breweries, restaurants, and others in the food industry can promote their products. In these promotions women are also apparent. Women in food commercials serve to make the product being sold seem more appealing in a sexual way.
The ad on the left by Burger King uses the image of the woman to advertise their new "Super Seven Incher" burger. The presence of the woman serves only to further enhance the sexual reference right below. The connection between sex and food is women. Women serve to sexualize food in hopes that men will want to purchase said item. The woman in this ad is mere a prop. Once again we see the woman body cut up into parts into only the necessary parts needed for the advertisement to function. More so the way in which the woman is fashioned gives her a cartoon-like appearance. This in turn also dehumanizes her as a result the image she creates is not as powerful.
The advertisement on the right does not depict a woman. It does however appropriate an issue associated with the female body. This advertisement is intended for women which can explain why the female body is not shown. It takes a medical condition and turns it into a joke by the suggestion that the remedy is a cupcake and cocktail. This advertisement shows to prove that not only women bodies are appropriated but also those themes associated with women.
Within the food advertisement there has been a recent phenomena. Fast food chains specifically Carl's Jr, have begun to extremely sexualize their food. The first example of such a commercial with a "sexy" burger starred Paris Hilton. The commercials feature the chosen starlet eating the burger and having the burger drip all over. In addition to messily eating the burger the chosen star is often the owner of a luxurious car. These commercials are explicitly geared towards the male audience. They feature beautiful women, (Kim Kardashian and Miss Turkey have also appeared), luxury classic cars, and burgers. The latest commercial stars Kate Upton and it is available for your viewing pleasure below. - Gloria Ruiz
Alcohol Advertisement
-julia olson
The above advertisement for Svedka completely objectifies the female body. She is viewed as a robot to be looked at and used, with no needs or desires of her own. Her only function is to serve the male. This advertises the vodka as something to make women turn into a device for sex and service. By calling her a "trophy wife", the ad indicates that this is a paradigm for a desirable partner.
Vehicle Advertisement
-julia olson
The ad above is sexist to both men and women. Firstly, it says that men are only interested in cars and sex. This portrays them as animals who lack sophistication and want only the satisfaction of possession, which is where the ad becomes sexist to women. Women are paralleled with the BMW car, an object to be owned. In this scene the man is giving attention to both the woman and the car, while she gives attention only to him. It is apparent that she doesn't have much personal connection with him as her face is covered, rendering her anonymous.
This ad obviously portrays women as cute and simple, but unable to understand or handle things on their own. The women's big bright eyes and lip-biting show a naive stupidity. The ad basically says that this car is easy enough to use that even women can drive it, implying that women are not as good of drivers, or intelligent enough to understand.
The video below attempts to sell a car in a very sexual way. It portrays women as blind and stupid; unable to tell the difference between a car stick and a penis, and not caring. The ad also emphasizes the idea of the man in the drivers seat, in control, while the woman works hard to please him.
The "Mother/Wife" Role
-julia olson
This commercial not only confines the women to the mother/wife role, but alsodegrades it. It also portrays the idea that men are unable to cook or handle any "womanly" duties. The ManMom feeds the family chips out of inadequacy on his/her part.
Women in Ads over time
-julia olsonFrom the very beginnings of women's portrayal in society, their image has been focused on body parts, particularly breasts. In the image above, native carvings of women depict them with enlarged breasts and minuscule heads, emphasizing that their importance lies in their physicality and not mentality.
These images introduces a classic ideal of the woman as the "homemaker": cooking, cleaning, and raising the children. She lovingly dotes upon her husband and spends hours cooking to please him. This woman is pretty to look at but doesn't have much to her mentally.
These images, selling cigarettes, indicate a woman who likes the male dominance. These women are portrayed as weak and willing to follow the man in whatever he asks of them.
These ads portray women in a hypersexualized light. The items being sold are often scarcely noticeable among the female bodies and promiscuity. Companies have found that by making sex the main focus, the product sells better.
With our society becoming increasingly focused on thin and slim, models, as well as non-models, are commonly becoming too skinny in an effort to look attractive. In the past, models were photoshopped to look thinner, but are now commonly being edited to look more normal weights. This is unhealthy and projects a bad image for women.