There is no such thing as a day without advertising. Whether we are food shopping, at the gym, commuting to work or school, watching television or surfing the Internet we are bombarded with advertisements urging us to indulge in everything from blockbuster movies and theatrical performances to Condoms and Raison Brand. Each advertisement seeks to prove itself to us, longing for just a second more of our gaze and contemplation – hoping to prove that it will somehow enhance our lives. However, the question soon becomes how and why? How are these methods effective and why do we understand the rational behind the advertisement. How, even in a world where we understand motives, do we commit and adhere to campaigns that condone and perpetuate stereotypes of race, class, and gender?

Advertisements often perpetuate women as the object, demoting her from a person to an extension of product (Kilbourne 122). She is either portrayed as the object in the home, or the object to masculinity (Kilbourne 122). A 2009 Pledge commercial features a woman is LITERALLY trapped in a glass box and told to clean. Despite her ever so brief opposition, mentioning she obviously had to go pick of her kids, the women quickly quiets and begins joyously cleaning. By the end of the commercial, she is satisfied and seemingly fulfilled with her work and the product. This example clearly defines a woman’s relationship to the home in advertising. Additionally, it must be noted that this actress is by no means old - late 30's at most, but is depicted as a mother, homemaker and completely free of sexual appeal.

While in contrast, when we are not seeing images of the mother we are seeing the young, attractive and often white woman used as a method of selling product. Recently Heineken released a commercial riffing on the Bond movies titled "The Chase". Here, a woman is finds herself thrown into the middle of a mission and ends up saving the day with a safe delivery of Heineken beer. Although seemingly powerful, as a women does in fact save the day, she only permitted to do so at the expense of men’s mistakes and disbelief in her own power. Men chasing her begin to fantasize about her, causing them to crash their boat, instead of catching her. Yes, she is the hero, but only at the misfortune of the foolish man, and still remains second to the one who is cunning – the man she is serving. He is in power and she is his object. As an audience, we come to understand a woman can do it all – be beautiful, thin young, athletic, but only to the extent that is serves the man around her.   

This concept is actually seen earlier in Laura Mulvay’s discussion on the Male Gaze in respect that the woman is subject to those who look at her. Although, you may argue that here, in juxtaposition to Victorian Paintings, a woman in an advertisement may have more power because she is given agency to sell product. In commercials and ads women are featured to help sell a product, opposed to just looked upon. However, she is still at the will of the consumer and thus at the will of those in power and what they have deemed attractive and acceptable.

Here, because she is an object, a woman can be portrayed as something beyond an obtainable reality – something that is created to be ideal. Thus, this has translated into awkwardly thin, young white, photoshopped women inherent in many advertising campaigns. This aesthetic is not one solely idealize by men, it is equally if not more desirable for women themselves. The make-up and fashion industries are clear proponents of this, as they market products for women by using unrealistic images of women. 

Cover girl, in essence markets its self to be the face of every women. Designing their campaigns around the all-American style beauty; Drew Barrymore, Rihanna, & Ellen DeGeneres all have been featured as the quintessential easy, breezy, beautiful, cover girl. Yet, each of these women, is retouched in the advertisements to fit a mold far detached from the average American women. Their skin is clean, soft, blemish free and claim to make them feel younger and thus better – all thank to CoverGirl products (doubtfully). I remember being very young, about seven or eight, watching the Garnier and Pantene hair commercials thinking they actually just those products to make their models hair look so good. I remember wanting my hair to look that good and being surprised to find the falsehood of my assumption. Although, with age, it is difficult to think these ad have shaped and effected ours perspective, however, it is obvious they have.

 

Bad Girl RiRi - telling us to lighten up our eyes.

While Drew Barrymore tells us how to get those smokey-eyes

Currently, ads have been shifting and there has been a fight for real representation on advertising. One of my favorite campaigns currently is Aerie’s ban on air brushing in their campaigns. Although many of the women feature still are thin models they are pushing boundaries in the fashion realm. The campaign is called Aerie Real and promotes woman of all shapes and sizes to feel comfortable in their bodies – cellulite and all. The #AerieReal allows girls of all shapes and sizes to share their images and show off their bodies. This campaign creates a community of women to promote positive self image. One of their models, Iskra Lawrence also works with the NEDA, the National Eating Disorders Associate, in efforts to draw attention to eating disorders.

Iskra Lawrence in Aerie Ad.

I'm hoping that as we move forward, advertising begins to feature more and more natural women. Although, we still have leaps and bounds to go, I am hoping that small changes like these will lead to a great shift in women in advertising.


Kilbourne Jean, Beauty and The Beast of Advertising
John Berger, Ways of Seeing
Laura Mulvey: Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema