Gender Representation in Advertising is Changing - Literature review Example

Gender Representation in Advertising is Changing Name Course Tutor’s Name Date: Introduction This essay will discuss and evaluate the way in which the representation of gender in advertising is changing. Using the male gender as the point of reference, the essay will also point to possible ways in which consumers are engaging with advertising copy and imagery. The essay considers traditional male roles in advertisements as those that were depicted prior to the 1980s when women started joining the active workforce. In the discussion section the essay traces how male gender representation has changed through the years. The essay further notes that consumers’ engagement with advertising copy and imagery remains an issue of literary discourse, especially since they (consumers) do not always think or act rationally. Several examples are used to illustrate the essay’s argument. The essay concludes by noting that while advertisements have the ability to shape perceptions, most of the time they are themselves a reflection of predominant conceptions in the society, which provide men with a freer space for expressing themselves. It however appears that traditional representations of tough masculinity are just minimised but not wiped out completely. Male gender representation in advertising copy and imagery The male gender has traditionally been at the centre of power. Advertising has not in the past missed a chance to display the male hegemony and power to audiences. The male character with cowboy hats, a cigarette in the mouth, and on horseback for instance characterised a traditional cigarette advert. Male characters were shown as not only being masculine but also tough (Gentry & Harrison 2010). Traditionally, advertisements embedded gender norms that portrayed the male character as the bread winner, the one who drives, the one who cares for the family, and the one who could drink, smoke and look at and admire beautiful women (Prinsloo 2006). On the other hand, women were portrayed as home keepers and submissive wives. Bernard (1981) notes that men have been portrayed as being competitive at the workplace and a bit docile when relating with their children. However, the entry of women in the workforce, mainly in the 1980s started to redefine men, and advertisements had to change their narrative too. Pleck (1987) indicates that the image of ‘a new father’ started appearing in broadcast and print advertisements. This new father would be there when his children are born and during a child’s upbringing and he not only played with the children, but would participate in routine child care activities. From the 1980s onwards, the advertisement narratives changed from portraying male characters as the epitome of power, ruggedness and toughness, and started portraying them as loving, gentle, supportive, just and kind people who were easy to relate with. Indeed, the 1980s man as portrayed in advertising was approachable. The narrative would change some more in the 2000s when men became more expressive in their clothing, looks and bodies (Gentry & Harrison 2010). Advertisements of the 2000s no longer had men all covered up, but men who were daring enough to wear thongs and engage in other metro-sexual tendencies. Emotionally, the modern man is arguably portrayed as more sensitive compared to earlier portrayals where he was an inexpressive masculine figure (Patterson & Elliot 2002). In developed countries (Australia included) Holt and Thompson (2004) argue that men are reconciling the macho image that is portrayed through masculine characters and the softer side that is emotional and more approachable. This argument is further supported by Schroeder and Zwick (2004, p. 23), who indicate that advertisements’ portrayal of men both in the past and the present offer a partial answer to the question of what it means to be a man. In the traditional sense, a man’s definition depended on how well he was able to provide for and protect his family (Schroeder & Zwick 2004). In the modern context however, men have many roles which are not as clearly defined. Each man has to interpret what his family and the society expects of him, and then tries to live by the same. For example, the lingerie advertisements featuring men try to convey a message that men can wear fashionable things. It is therefore possible that fashion-conscious men will try out such fashion items, which do not make them to stand out but make them feel good on the inside. The gaze, pose and posture that men assume in advertisements are also worth looking into. In the past, the gaze, pose and posture were dominant and meant to show the authoritative and powerful positions that men had in their homes, workplaces and even in the society. Recently however, men are increasingly being portrayed as sex symbols in advertisements and this means that they no longer have the penetrating gaze and/or the domineering posture (Schroeder & Zwick 2004). Contemporary advertisements are also increasingly portraying men as heroes, which according to Holt and Thompson (2004) is an attempt to reconcile the tough guy of earlier times with the softer and more emotional man of this generation. For example a character who finds something extraordinary in a new gadget will be excited to narrate it to his friends. His latest acquisition will make him to be admired by his colleagues. The image (figure 1) below is an example of one such advertisement. The man in the picture is marketing the Ford Courier. His pose could be interpreted as confident, while his gaze is not straight ostensibly because he is narrating how his latest acquisition has something that no other cars have. The men in figure 2 are his audience and the advertisement was captured in a barbeque setting. Figure 1 Source: Macleod (2006a) Figure 2 Source: Macleod (2006a) The narrator (the man who owns the Ford Courier) indicates that the car has what other cars are missing. The gender undertones in this advert are evident from the Ford Courier’s owner (Johno) having a very manly voice compared to his colleagues in the set who have squawky, high-pitched voices. Such voices are womanly. In this case, the rest of the men are missing manly voices, just as they are missing what Johno has – the Ford Courier. In not so clear terms, it therefore seems like the advertisement is telling men to get the Ford Courier because it is a manly car, and leave the rest to the women. By comparison, it can be perceived that the men in figure 2 do not have as much authority as the man in figure 1. Power and authority are perceived as enduring aspects of the male gender, something that is clearly evident in this advertising example. The manner in which audiences engage with the advertising copy and imagery is not clear in literature. The marketing copy writers undoubtedly write with the intention of inspiring desire in audiences. However, Schroeder and Zwick (2010) indicate that consumer response is not always defined. Some consumers may perceive images as desirable while others may consider them irritating and/or detestable and in the end, reject the product proposition made in the advertisement. Schroeder and Zwick (2010, p. 45) indicate that “interpreting advertising images is to acknowledge their representational power both as cultural artefacts and as bearers of earning, reflecting broad societal, cultural and ideological codes”. Notably, whether people acknowledge the meaning-making potential of advertising copy and imagery or not, they either get the advertiser’s message, or appropriate their own. Overall, and considering that advertisements are marketing gimmicks, men are increasingly being portrayed as consumers. The male body on its part is increasingly being used to represent consumer goals (Schroeder & Zwick 2010). For example, an advert that shows a man using a specific lotion on his well-toned body may create a desire for such a body from fellow men, and women may desire that their men could have similar muscles, and maybe even complexion. The effect of such an advertisement is that men would purchase the lotion and women would do the same for their men too. Just like consumers engage with mirrors, they engage with advertising copy and imagery (Schroeder & Zwick 2004). They may like or dislike the surface appearance, compare and contrast themselves to the images, and dream about attaining a similar physique or appearance. The exposure to advertising copy and imagery however creates social and psychological tensions, especially if the representation does not fit in well with reality. Shroeder (2003) found out that even when consumers know that the representation of male bodies or roles is far from reality, they still get caught in the web of vanity, representation and consumerism. This is partly explained by the fact that humans do not always think or act rationally especially when purchasing consumer items. In a way, it would appear that marketers are telling the consumer that the promise to an ideal body or life in general is through purchasing and using an advertised product. Some consumers believe such messages and so, they buy. The foregoing observation is perhaps best explained by Schroeder and Zwick (2010, p. 45), who argue that the market often “subsumes basic ontological concerns of being, desire and identity” and makes advertising copy and imagery that takes advantage of such concerns. A major difference between the portrayal of men in advertisements of past decades and those of the current generation is that in the past, men were shown as the producers. Nowadays, they are portrayed as potent consumers (Schroeder & Zwick 2010). For example, there are adverts where men are depicted as having good tastes and/or good looks. Figure 3 Source: Macleod (2006b) The posture and body look of the man in figure 3 above may be interpreted as conveying power, good taste and elegance, something that the copy writers and image creators intended the audience to associate with Lipton Ice Tea. The narrative in this advertisement is that Lipton Ice Tea helps someone be their natural self. The guy is this advert is honest and draws near girls just to get a closer view of them and determine if they are beautiful, and later excuses himself when he sees other ‘topless’ girls checking him out. He is portrayed not only as a consumer of the advertised product but a consumer of experiences. He also knows how to impress – i.e. by carrying a surf board even though he does not know how to surf. There are also advertisements where men are depicted as giving in to fantasies and desires (Holt & Thompson 2004). Notably, the foregoing can be associated with the fact that (some) men are concerned about their general appearance, and perhaps mostly how well toned their muscles are. In the above Ford Courier advertisement (see figure 1) for example, some men would be attracted to buying the car just because they assume that if the male model looks that authoritative and confident, the car must have a sense of power and authority around it. It might even attract attention to them. Such men would find a sense of belonging when driving a car that commands attention or one that signifies power and authority. There are also advertisements that show men giving in to commodity fetishism. In other words, men are being told (albeit in a non-direct subtle manner) that anything of value is worth spending some good amount of money on. The Calvin Klein image below (figure 4) is for example portraying a couple who are ostensibly wearing Calvin Klein clothing items. While the woman is looking ahead, the man has some kind of a dazed looked staring at the woman’s body. The advertisement creates the impression that Calvin Klein clothing items have an elegant look that makes the female body more admirable to the male gender. Notably, the man is wearing clothes from the same fashion label and his look is striking. Figure 4 Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/executive-living/fashion/photos-e6frg8k6-1226246702697?page=12 Conclusion Advertisements are no doubt a marketing tool that seeks to ensure that consumers are aroused to buy a specific product or service. The gender representations in advertisements however need to be considered because as indicated in this essay, they have the ability to change people’s perceptions towards gender roles. In the past (i.e. before the 1980s), traditional male ontology depicted men as absolutely masculine and resolute. With time and changes in female/male gender roles, the depiction of maleness in advertisements has softened and has created the impression that men do not necessarily have to conform to limited societal constructions. Men in advertisements can for example have a soft side in the pose, posture and /or dressing. The foregoing does not however mean that they are no longer depicted as the tough, powerful, authoritative and masculine gender; rather, it would appear that such representations are just minimised but not wiped out completely. References Bernard, J 1981, ‘The good-provider role: its rise and fall’, American Psychologist, vol. 36, pp. 1–12. Mcleod, D 2006a, ‘Ford courier separate men from boys’, The Inspiration Room, viewed 6 May 2014, . Mcleod, D 2006b, ‘Lipton ice tea is refreshingly honest’, viewed 3 June 2014, . Holt, D B & Thompson, C J 2004, ‘Man-of-Action heroes: The pursuit of heroic masculinity in everyday consumption’, Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 31, pp. 425–440. Patterson, M & Elliott, R 2002, ‘Negotiating masculinities: Advertising and the inversion of the male gaze’, Consumption, Markets and Culture, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 231–46. Pleck, J H 1987, ‘American fathering in historical perspective’, in M Kimmel (ed.) Changing Men, SAGE, Newbury Park, CA, pp. 83–97. Prinsloo, J 2006, ‘Where have all the fathers gone? Media(ted) representations of fatherhood’, in L Richter & R Morrell (eds) Baba: Men and Fatherhood in South Africa, Human Sciences Research Council, Cape Town. Schroeder, J E 2003, ‘Gender, consumption and identity’, Consumption Markets & Culture, vol. 6, pp. 1-4. Schroeder, J E & Zwick, D 2011, ‘Mirrors of masculinity: representation and identity in advertising images’, Consumption, Markets and Culture, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 21-52. Read More

The narrative would change some more in the 2000s when men became more expressive in their clothing, looks and bodies (Gentry & Harrison 2010). Advertisements of the 2000s no longer had men all covered up, but men who were daring enough to wear thongs and engage in other metro-sexual tendencies. Emotionally, the modern man is arguably portrayed as more sensitive compared to earlier portrayals where he was an inexpressive masculine figure (Patterson & Elliot 2002). In developed countries (Australia included) Holt and Thompson (2004) argue that men are reconciling the macho image that is portrayed through masculine characters and the softer side that is emotional and more approachable.

This argument is further supported by Schroeder and Zwick (2004, p. 23), who indicate that advertisements’ portrayal of men both in the past and the present offer a partial answer to the question of what it means to be a man. In the traditional sense, a man’s definition depended on how well he was able to provide for and protect his family (Schroeder & Zwick 2004). In the modern context however, men have many roles which are not as clearly defined. Each man has to interpret what his family and the society expects of him, and then tries to live by the same.

For example, the lingerie advertisements featuring men try to convey a message that men can wear fashionable things. It is therefore possible that fashion-conscious men will try out such fashion items, which do not make them to stand out but make them feel good on the inside. The gaze, pose and posture that men assume in advertisements are also worth looking into. In the past, the gaze, pose and posture were dominant and meant to show the authoritative and powerful positions that men had in their homes, workplaces and even in the society.

Recently however, men are increasingly being portrayed as sex symbols in advertisements and this means that they no longer have the penetrating gaze and/or the domineering posture (Schroeder & Zwick 2004). Contemporary advertisements are also increasingly portraying men as heroes, which according to Holt and Thompson (2004) is an attempt to reconcile the tough guy of earlier times with the softer and more emotional man of this generation. For example a character who finds something extraordinary in a new gadget will be excited to narrate it to his friends.

His latest acquisition will make him to be admired by his colleagues. The image (figure 1) below is an example of one such advertisement. The man in the picture is marketing the Ford Courier. His pose could be interpreted as confident, while his gaze is not straight ostensibly because he is narrating how his latest acquisition has something that no other cars have. The men in figure 2 are his audience and the advertisement was captured in a barbeque setting. Figure 1 Source: Macleod (2006a) Figure 2 Source: Macleod (2006a) The narrator (the man who owns the Ford Courier) indicates that the car has what other cars are missing.

The gender undertones in this advert are evident from the Ford Courier’s owner (Johno) having a very manly voice compared to his colleagues in the set who have squawky, high-pitched voices. Such voices are womanly. In this case, the rest of the men are missing manly voices, just as they are missing what Johno has – the Ford Courier. In not so clear terms, it therefore seems like the advertisement is telling men to get the Ford Courier because it is a manly car, and leave the rest to the women.

By comparison, it can be perceived that the men in figure 2 do not have as much authority as the man in figure 1. Power and authority are perceived as enduring aspects of the male gender, something that is clearly evident in this advertising example. The manner in which audiences engage with the advertising copy and imagery is not clear in literature. The marketing copy writers undoubtedly write with the intention of inspiring desire in audiences. However, Schroeder and Zwick (2010) indicate that consumer response is not always defined.

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