Compare and Contrast Two Readings - Essay Example

Compare and Contrast The Susan Bordo article richly discusses the male body form as seen advertisements – a theme which is akin to the rediscovery of the male form amidst the seeming obsessive preoccupation on the female form. The article turns its attention on the sexuality of the male form, including its general appeal to the population. It specifies the revolutionary portrayal of the male highly sexual form through underwear advertisements like that of Calvin Klein. Where the portrayal in the past was muted in its sexuality, such sexuality now seems to be the running theme in these advertisements. These advertisements also present men as sexual objects, in much the same way as women have often been portrayed. In some instances, the homophobic population may detect some gay undertones to these ads, however, all in all, they portray the male form in a way which is more sexually suggestive than its usual portrayal.
In the same theme of male-themed advertisements, the article by Gladwell discusses the difficulties which are often seen in coming up with advertisements which are appealing to men. This article provides ideas on how Levi’s was able to appeal to the male population by considering activities, conversations, topics, and even random things which were more appropriate to the male crowd. Both articles presented a discussion on how advertisements can appeal differently to men and to women, and how the differences among males and females can often dictate the direction and the power of these ads. For companies who can capitalize on these differences, the profits would likely flow well and for a long period of time. Oftentimes, the stereotypes assigned to men and women can work well for advertisers and in some instances, tapping into the specific persona of a man or a woman can effectively reduce the gap between the seller and the consumer. Read More