There are many different ways that the media tries to sell or advertise their many products on the market. Each company has a different strategy, but they all target a certain group of people when they market their product. Such things as gender roles are portrayed only to attract customers. Some advertisers use this in a very subtle unnoticeable way while others make it very apparent. Let’s take the ads displayed in “Maxim” for example, these ads are definitely directed at a male audience.
At first it appears that the company is trying to sell sex but through further semiotic analysis I have found that the ads in the magazine are inferring that women are beginning to change to the aggressors in a relationship while men have began to take the innocent role of women. The magazine reflects many stereotypes which are present in today’s society such as only women who are smart and successful look good. In the article Sex, Money and Success Carroll talks about how we Americans are fixated on sex (Carroll 670). If you look through the whole magazine front to back I can bet you that you won’t find a picture of an overweight man or woman.
Let’s take an ad for example. This first ad is of a heterosexual white male and a whit
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Tips, highlights or all over color in one box. There is a clear shot of her cleavage, as she is leaning on top of the blonde male. Typically, men are the ones that are the aggressors and will be the first ones to make the move. We enjoy the fantasies presented in ads; we wouldn’t have it any other way (Solomon 147). The ad is for a Chivas Regal type of Scotch Whiskey. She is in a tight black suit with the shirt unbuttoned slightly. She is wearing nothing but a snake skin bikini with ties at the hips. Then again it could just want the customers to think when picking their alcohol, “Hey, I saw an ad for this and it had a hot girl on it, I’ll try this. It turns the man into the submissive, innocent, innocent victim, while the female is perceived as the dominant, persuasive, sexually charged predator. It could have the girl dressed in a bikini because they want to remind the consumer of the beautiful women and beaches of Mexico. The product is made by Maxim Magazine and is called “M.
The next ad shows the body of a beautiful, tan, well maintained, thin female body. If you look again to the first advertisement then is could be comparing its product to a beautiful woman. A message sent from that illustration is that she is more attracted to him because of his new hair color.
Approximate Word count =
1317
Approximate Pages =
5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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