Over the last few days, I've read a series of blog articles decrying the representations of women in advertising, so much so that I've begun to feel pretty sleazy about my chosen profession.
First, there is this article from Adrants discussing an ad campaign for American Apparel, and asking whether it borders on pornography. Frankly, it's a question that doesn't need to be asked - the blurred line is whether or not this could be considered child pornography. I find the whole set of images very disturbing, much more so than the Calvin Klein ads from a few years back over which there was much ballyhoo.
Next there was this little item I happened upon from Japan - I don't know what a Pocky is, so I may be missing some subtle in-joke. I'd be happy to be told by anyone out there.
Finally, Transbuddha, one of my favorite irreverent blogs, actually produced a series of seven posts examining female sterotypes in advertising from around the world (1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7). It's not the most scholarly of examinations, but the point is made.
The ad agency I work for regularly claims the heritage of having one of the very first women Creative Directors in the 1930s. Doesn't seem like we've come a long way in the last 75 years.
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Hmm, as far as the Transbuddha thing goes, whatever point he was trying to make would have been better off by showing multiple examples of each stereotype to show how cliched and limited advertising's view of women actually is.
I'm not sure his examples or even the stereotypes he chose paint a clear picture of the problem. I'd definitely like to see a more thought out version of this.
Looking for scholarly analysis from us is a bit like going to the Ice Cream section for health foods.
I didn't see any merit in using multiple examples of the same stereotypes simply because they're all so familiar to us. We've seen them all hundreds if not thousands of times before.
But lest a certain point get missed: The stereotyping of men in advertising is just as prevalent as it is for women. Men are typically depicted as bumbling, socially inept, conniving, inattentive, stupid, demanding, crass, and insanely self-centered.
Looking to the advertising world for healthy role models is a losing game, regardless of what sex you're focusing on.
Yeah, I was actually thinking that when looking at your examples as well. Advertising is built around stereotypes and guys are just as much the victim of that as women. Nothing wrong with it really. When you've got 30 seconds to tell a story (or one photograph in a print ad) you have to go with quick, familiar character types.
Pocky is a Japanese snack/cookie - they are little cracker rods dipped in different types of coatings (chocolate, strawberry, etc.). They're most sweet, but they have some savory flavors.
That was a really disturbing ad - like something out of a Japanese horror flick.