Important Points to Consider!

What kind of world/person is being created by the text?

Is it positive or negative?

How will audiences interpret this?

• This will depend on how the person sees the particular world, person or celebrity and how they have been CONSTRUCTED

Reality in Adverts• Verisimilitude is a version of reality that is presented by the media text,

but is not always exact reality

• Reality – A reflection of the world.

• Utopia/Dystopia – An idealised version of the world (probably because of the product) or a negative version (because of lack of product)

• Animation – Happy/Friendly version of the world – adds some type of message

• Surrealism – A weird, fantastic take on the world to make the brand seem artistic, challenging and different

2© ZigZag Education 2015

Celebrities as ROLE MODELS

• Some adverts use CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT to promote their products

• Others take it further by having BRAND AMBASSIDORS

• A BRAND AMBASSIDOR is a long term employee who embodies the image the company wants to promote

18/04/2023 Term 2, Lesson 1 3

Dyer’s Star Persona

• Richard Dyer claimed that Celebrities have an image that is constructed by the Media

• Star Persona is what appeals to an audience to encourage them to buy their products

04/09/2014 Term 1, Lesson 1 4

Example

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Masculinity and femininity

Gender and representation of gender is tied up with ideas of masculinity and femininity.

Are the following ideas about the representation of men and women reinforced by what you found in the magazines?

Develop

Masculinity in Adverts

1. Sporty

2. Powerful

3. Shallow

4. Outdoors Type

5. Undomesticated

1. Similar to Outdoors, rugged yet groomed. Normally Celebrity and focus is on manliness and appearance

2. The dominant figure who is overtly masculine

3. Young men who are shallow and superficial trying to impress women

4. Typical male jobs that are physical. Rough and ready apperance

5. In domestic situations, men are shown as not knowing as much as women18/04/2023 Term 2, Lesson 1 7

Femininity in Adverts

1. The Beauty Bunny

2. The Alpha Female

3. The Fashionista

4. The Perfect Mum

5. The Granny

1. Believes that, because of science, beauty/health products will work. Buys new products with enthusiasm if they claim success

2. Powerful professional whose focus in life is her career – not a mother, wife or lover

3. Fashion Model type only interested in her own looks (not beauty products as she doesn’t need them yet!)

4. Biggest concern is children and family. Mainly buys cleaning products or food

5. Perfect Mum but older – has few interests outside grandchildren or family

18/04/2023 Term 2, Lesson 1 8

The Male Gaze

• Laura Mulvey created the theory in 1975.

• She believes that audiences have to ‘view’ characters from the perspective of a Heterosexual Male

• Thus all women are objectified and inferior in some way

18/04/2023 Term 1, Lesson 3 9

GENDERED Products

• Products can often be GENDERED through their advertising

• Look carefully at the list below and in your books can you complete the table

• EXT: Can you add a column for Examples and name an advert?18/04/2023 Term 2, Lesson 1 10

Product Advertised How

Beer

Chocolate

Cars

Washing Up LiquidBaby Food

Representations of AGE

• Representations of AGE are common in a number of adverts

• They are used mostly for HUMOUR or EMOTIONAL RESPONSE although they can be used for other aspects too

• Products that use AGE stereotypes are typically targeted at those catergories e.g. Baby Food or Denture Cream

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Disability• In Advertising, the only images of

the disabled we tend to see are those in charity advertisements, and their disability is the main focus of the representation.

• Often we are encouraged to pity the person represented, or give them support in another way

• Ideologically speaking, disabled is not considered sexy, and does not sell products.

Examples

04/09/2014 Term 1, Lesson 1 15

Photoshop & Adverts

• The Issues of Photoshop and advertising have been around for a long time

• The main argument is whether it is fair for a company to manipulate an image to create a new representation of that person

• https://youtu.be/Q5qZedMTkkE?list=UU0uGC_EBwAxw3ljqeGjy2qw18/04/2023 Term 2, Lesson 1 16

Example: Britney Spears

• Britney Spears felt strongly enough about the issue she shared the BEFORE and AFTER photos for her Candie Perfume advert online

04/09/2014 Term 1, Lesson 1 17