Western Culture. Portrayal Of Gender In Ads - Essay Example

Western culture has produced a range of gender representations over the past 60 years that contribute to gender relations today. In general, representations of women and men in advertisements has been considered as troubling, and as reflecting a negative impact on how each gender constructs their identity, as well as how they perceive their bodies and personal and social relationships. Many scholars and researchers of popular cultural analysis argue that advertising has contributed to Western society's beliefs and values of gender roles, sex and sexuality. Further, that advertisements represent across the decades reflect the ideals, activities and behaviors of Western culture that has adopted as its social norms, and so reflects the expectations of the genders within these societies (Hogg and Garrow, 2003). They contend that cultural constructions of gender impact on the lives of all people within a society, and that these cultural constructions cannot be differentiated from the lives and images of each gender. Importantly, that is essential for society to understand how advertising can contribute to attitudes about gender relations and the expected gender roles, as well as how these factors impact on individuals constructing their identities and sense of place. However, arguments exist within current discourse of cultural text analysis that advertising over the years has been over-analyzed, so that interpretations of stereotypes and limiting of gender roles are exaggerated (Lukas, 2006). This paper aims to present a visual and textual analysis of advertisements over the past six decades, contending that ads have predominantly stereotyped and objectified women and men. Popular culture contributes to the ways in which society constructs the roles and identities of women and men on a day-to-day basis. In general, individuals within Western society tend to be unable to comprehend the significance of our cultural values as portrayed in advertising. Also, when a person is able to understand the underlying cultural meanings of an ad, they often do not have access to knowledge that would enable them to effectively respond to advertisements that objectify or stereotype gender relationships. Without active cultivation of an individual's cultural literacy, by way of critiquing and reflecting upon advertisements presentation of gender relationships, meaningful social change is constrained. Hence, to live in a truly democratic society that values equality, respect for differences and the freedom of rights for all, critical and reflective skills need to be learnt by all members of society. An example of a lack of critical insight into the cultural values upheld in advertising is the argument that states 'Ads are fun' (Lukas, 2006). From this point of view, ads are not meant to be taken seriously as they are merely fun forms of entertainment. However, it is evident that many 'fun' ads have underlying messages that reflect and maintain unequal gender relations. In the 1940s it was not uncommon for women to be portrayed as being 'stupid' (see Figure 1, Appendix). During this era women were typically illustrated as belonging to the domestic realm, and as being intellectually inferior to men. To emphasize this characteristic of women, they were visually presented with faces that suggested stupidity. Text accompanying the ad reinforced the message that women say stupid things, or are unable to think for themselves, requiring a man to assist them. For example the text for Figure 1 reads as: You mean a woman can open it! In contrast, men during the decade of 1940-1950 were presented as having authoritarian, dominant and controlling roles as reflected in ads. Especially, they were depicted as being intelligent and as in control (see Figures 2 and 3, Appendix). Women were viewed as subordinate to men, and as having to concern themselves with what the male of the household thought of their efforts to maintain their appearance. As well, women were predominantly concerned with pleasing their man by way of having a 'clean and welcoming' home environment (Schroeder and Zwick, 2004). The male as the decision-maker at home, and in wider society, was reinforced through thee advertisements. Depictions of gender relations at this time stereotyped males as being dominant and females as being submissive and nurturing. And as women did not venture outside of the home environment, they were represented as not understanding wider socio-political issues, as practiced within the workforce. In 21st century advertising, ads may now feature men in the trope of stupidity (see Figure 4, Appendix). Society needs to be as critical of males being cast in the stupid role, as to that of females cast into this role. The negative and undermining values such ads advocate can lead to repression, loathing and detachment among those who are not portrayed as 'stupid'. Another example of a counter-argument to the negative portrayal of gender in ads is: It is the models choice to be portrayed in an objectified or stereotyped fashion (Lukas, 2006). The implication of this viewpoint is that society does not need to be critical of advertising. However, in light of the myriad of ads across the decade portraying, in particular misogyny, violence and dehumanization of women, such an argument is disturbing, as it indicates the Western acceptance of unequal gender relations. During the 1960s the feminist movement became quite active, and sought to highlight the negative images of women in advertising, as well as other popular cultural texts. Many advertisers at this time chose to take advantage of feminism's growing popularity (see Figure 5, Appendix). The caption of the ad in Figure 5 encourages women to 'Join the Movement', that is to 'move' and 'be seen' or 'captured' on film, as opposed to standing up for their rights not to be objectified. As such, the ad undermines the value of a feminist movement, ridiculing the idea that what women had to say at the time was in any way important. The ad further illustrates male dominance at the time in that the female orientated motto is 'stolen' from women, and 'used' to uphold male values of objectification. Hence, ads in this genre continued to reinforce and promote the social acceptance of gender inequalities. In the 1970s there was a noticeable decrease in the presentation of women as objectified images for the pleasure of male viewing. Instead, women were presented in business and managerial contexts, a change in portrayal as they were now depicted as being in control and intelligent. However, it was also noticeable that these representations were soon replaced by the stereotypical traditional roles of women as 'sexual object' and 'home keeper'. Alternatively, a longitudinal analysis of men's depiction in advertising from 1959-1979 concluded that the portrayal of men in the traditional 'good-provider' role was decreasing during the 1970s (Schroeder and Zwick, 2004). However, presently, it is evident that contemporary advertising continues to cast men in the limiting role of 'provider' by emphasizing the idea of a man being a 'hero,' and as a person who takes part in 'manly' activities (see Figures 6 & 7, Appendix). The men in Figures 6 and 7 are portrayed as independent, rugged men. Particularly, Figure 6 depicts a male character that must save 'the damsel in distress.' In Figure 7, the provider role is most evident in the text: Everyone needs a hero. It is implied that society requires a strong independent man to function effectively. From the 1980s to the present day advertising has capitalized on the gender insecurities of both genders in regards to their physical appearance. Normalization is the negative perception of one's body when one's physical appearance is considered to not meet imposed standards (Lukas, 2006). Although normalization might be thought of as being limited to females, it is evident that the issue is just as relevant to males (see Figures 8 and 9, Appendix). This is important, as psychopathologies such as anorexia and bulimia are at risk of not being identified among male sufferers, or effective interventions developed, when men perceive themselves as not having physical or emotional issues that are of concern for their health and well-being. Popular ads today portray the normal physique of either gender as 'slender,' 'athletic' and 'buff'. When a person does not match the ideal then they are considered to be 'in need of repair.' Hence, company's promoting weight-loss products, diet programs, muscle building services; particular types of clothing and cosmetic surgery, reinforce the concept of there being an absolute 'normal' physique that is obtainable for all. Twenty-first century advertising has contributed to both women and men treating their bodies as all-consuming projects, a trait that was not evident in past Western cultural values. A focus on the physical has impacted on gender relations in that women and men are more likely to base attraction on physical appearance, whereas in the past the ability for a woman to 'keep house' and a man to 'provide for his family' were the dominant characteristics looked for in a mate. As such, in this genre of ads, whilst the genders appear to be equally expected to fit a certain stereotype, a social group is still treated as an 'other,' and is seen to be lacking or of lesser value than another social group. Namely, people who don't fit the social norm of physical appearance are considered unattractive. Also, the emphasis of the ads remains one of objectification, a person's body needs to be beautiful so that it can be looked at and appreciated, perhaps even to induce desire or jealousy. Advertising that promotes objectification in current society, can be also be found in representations of the woman as 'dancer or stripper,' a trope that is rarely attributed to men (see Figure 10, Appendix). The women in the ad is construed as being only the product of her biology and her appearance; it is implied that the woman dances or strips for the benefit of an unseen viewing male; and the woman is also portrayed as vulnerable or unsafe as she uninhibitedly removes most of her clothing. As such, the socialization of males and females to conceptualize women as 'objects,' especially for 'sexual gratification' remains with ads of this genre. This in turn constrains empowering interpersonal relationships between genders. Recently, advertising companies have sought to depict men in the role of 'submissive' or 'sexual object' (see Figures 11 and 12, Appendix). Portrayal of men in this way did not occur in the past. However, the dehumanization of men by women maintains the status quo of gender inequality as being an acceptable cultural value. And although the numbers of ads that objectify males in this manner are lower than those of females, they are becoming more common, and reflect the Western ignorance of the negative consequences of objectifying either gender. It appears though, that the dominant images of men in contemporary advertisements are those that continue to promote men as strong, cultured, authoritarian and dominating, with women having passive roles (see Figures 13-16, Appendix). The men's posture, bodily position, location of body part's and height in Figures 13-16 imply that their characters are superior to that of the female characters. The negative consequence for gender relations of advocating such cultural values is that boys are socialized to differentiate themselves from others, to detach from their feelings, as well as to not display affection or trust. Thus the ads show that the idea of men as superior to women has continued across the decades, and continues to contribute to a lack of intimacy between the genders, and to promoting males to be alienated from their bodies. A subset of advertisements is now presenting the traditional ideal role of 'macho' male as representing women as well. Nike's 'just do it' slogan, or ad tag-lines that suggest willpower will lead to gain (e.g., 'Take Control') are a new genre of ads as compared to past tropes. These advertisements seek to portray personal empowerment as possible for both genders, and the right of each gender. However, such advertisements suggest that the way for a person to take control is by way of the consumption of goods and services. The attraction of these types of cultural values, and what differentiates them from ads in the late 20th century, is that they imply that self-discipline and physical effort are unnecessary to achieve independence, autonomy and equality. All one need do is purchase a particular brand of sunglasses, car, mobile phone or I-pod, for example. In contrast to the past these ads do promote equality between the genders, as long as a person fits the stereotype. However, they do maintain objectification, in that the purpose of purchasing is to be seen or desired. Ultimately, representation of cultural values pertaining to gender relations in advertising is of great concern. Although some stereotypical values may appear to be declining, such as the role of women as stupid, the trope persists in the 21st century with men now also being cast into this role. Contemporary advertising continues to portray woman as sexual objects, as well as being passive and dependant on males for their identity. Although, a new genre of ads are forming that objectify men and places them in the passive role too. However, the dominant depiction of men remains as roles advocating detachment, authoritarianism and macho attitudes. As such, advertising continues to portray gender relations as being unequal, and facilitates the acceptance of a division of power between the genders. Research points to the average household in the USA as having their television turned on for an average of seven hours a day (Lukas, 2006). It is estimated that the average North American consumes two to three hours of TV per day. And that the average North American child will view 360, 000 televised advertisements by the time they are 18 years old. As well, mass media is present on billboards and the radio, in magazines and newspapers, on the internet and now on even on mobile phones. It is predicted that the broad exposure to advertising that the average person experiences will continue to contribute to poor gender relations and inequality. This is because Western values are grounded in a capitalist philosophy which advocates dichotomies such as 'winner' and 'loser', or the 'haves' as opposed to those who 'have not'. As such, one gender will always be seen as of more value than the other. It is recommended that investigations into public perceptions of gender roles in advertising be explored further, to ascertain the level of public acceptance of negative gender presentations, and to question whether there is a lack of public accountability or if the status quo can be solely attribute to advertisers. It is also strongly suggested that cultural critical skills be incorporated into classroom curriculum at elementary school to foster a questioning and reflective attitude of the future social leaders of the USA. References Hogg, Margaret, K. and Garrow, J. "Gender, identity and the consumption of advertising." Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, vol. 6 (2003): 160-174. Lukas, Scott, A. Gender Ads. (2006). May 28, 2006. < http://www.genderads.com/> Schroeder, Jonathan E. and Detlev Zwick. "Mirrors of masculinity: Representation and identity in advertising images." Consumption Markets and Culture, vol. 7 (2004): 21-52. Read More