advert: score media lang+rep Flashcards
what was advertising like in the 1960s?
advertising agencies relied less on market research and and leaned more towards creative instinct in planning
was copy (written) used in 1960s advertising?
copy was still used to offer an explanation of the product but the visuals took on a greater importance
who is the clear target audience for score?
the male breadwinner
in the 1960s, what was advertising like in the uk post war?
advertising in the post war period was characterised by campaigns that reinforced the idea that a women’s place was in the home
in the 1960s, what should women be like?
women should have “man appeal” achieved through good looks and the ability to cook a decent meal
in the 1960s, what should the men be like?
men were represented as the breadwinner and intellectually superior to their female spouses
how did gender roles in advertising change in the 1970s?
advertisers did try to lead the way with a more progressive representation of gender, achieved through ‘role-reversed’ adverts, in which the man was seen to undertake a series of household chores
why didn’t the ‘role reversed’ adverts last long in 1970?
according to audience feedback, they portrayed men as ‘wimps’ and women as ‘lazy’. females preferred to see themselves as the housewife. it could be argued this stereotype continued for so long was because women allowed it to happen
media language: in the score advert, how are the females represented? (6 key points)
- objects of beauty
- domestic servants
- sex objects
- subservient
- vulnerable
- sexually available and falling at the feet of men
media language: in the score advert, how are is the male represented? (4 points)
- dominant
- patriarchal
- hunter protector of his ‘tribe’
- dominant sexual power
how does score use persuasive techniques?
The text “Get what you’ve always wanted” directly addresses the reader which makes it more personal. This persuasively implies that by using the product any man can fulfil his wild fantasy of being desired by gorgeous women. The product information also uses direct addressing with the repetition of “you”.
narrative theories: Propp’s narrative theory
the advert identified the man as Propp’s “hero”. the image infers he is the hunter protector of his ‘tribe’ (women) which has an appeal to the young male target audience who aspire to share the same status
narrative theories: Hall’s reception theory
the 1967 male audience may read the narrative as ironic/humorous (the dominated reading). females (not the target audience) may take a negotiated reading but at the same time accept its representation of a patriarchal society as normal/inevitable. modern audiences will take an oppositional reading, aware that its sexist narrative is outdated/offensive
feminist theories: Butler’s gender performance
gender is not biologically determined but rather socially determined. she believes that gender is a performance. both the male and the female in score are performing the roles of a masculine man and a feminine woman in accordance with their biological sex. the ad also serves to reinforce the binary opposite gender roles ascribed by society
feminist theories: Mulvey’s male gaze
she argues that film put the spectator in a masculine position, with the figure of the woman on screen as the object of desire. in score, the audience are positioned to look at the women through the male gaze. this appeals to the male breadwinner target audience. the revealing outfits and the fact the women are reaching out also adheres to the male gaze and shows how media producers positioned women at the time
feminist theories: van Zoonen
argues that ‘gender’ is constructed through discourse and its meaning varies according to the context. women in the 1960s were represented as either domestic servants or sex objects - and in score they can be considered both. van Zoonen argues that in mainstream media texts the visual and narrative codes are used to objectify the female body
in depth analysis of mise-en-scene
The women the Score hair cream advert are young, pretty and slim and depicted and are wearing revealing, sexualised costumes which reinforce the idea of the male gaze. Four out of five of the ladies are looking at the man in awe and some are reaching towards him or touching him which shows the sexual desire they have towards him. They are also carrying him on a pedestal which makes him seem almost god like while he sits comfortably not paying attention to the women and looking at the camera with a smile. The man also has a prop; a gun which implies that he is in charge and is the provider, especially because of the jungle setting in which it is all set up which suggests that he hunts the food. The exotic setting also fulfils male, wild fantasy and promotes escapism. The text on the advert “Get what you’ve always wanted” is a direct address which makes it more personal for the viewer. It implies that the product (hair cream) will make women attracted to the man and will fulfil his fantasy.
social context: what was it like for males growing up in 1970s and 80s?
being labelled “queer” was a direct challenge to one’s manhood.
social context: how did male grooming adverts represent the user of the product in 1970s and 80s?
male grooming adverts in these decades represented the user as a ‘real man’, employing the footballer Kevin Keegan to promote deodorant and aftershave
social context: what was there a strong focus on in the 60s?
there was a strong focus on personal identity and appearance
social context: what were women advocating for in the 60s?
women were advocating for freedom., as the feminist movement gained momentum. however, this advert does not reflect the rise of feminist ideas
social context: the ad was produced during a time of what?
the ad was produced during a time of social change including the decriminalisation of homosexuality and the equal pay act
cultural context: what was the mentality for men in the 1960s?
The “Look Good, Feel Good” mentality gained prominence in the 1960s. People, particularly younger generations. Ads like Score’s, which focused on male grooming, played into this mindset, presenting well-groomed men as confident and sophisticated
cultural context: what does the lack of diversity in the ad reflect?
The lack of ethnic diversity in the ad reflects the attitudes towards beauty at the time, with many media products at the time failing to include ethnic minority models. there was a strong focus of the white ethnicity in the media
historical context: what does the men being armed reflect?
The man being armed perhaps reflects the post war period where men who had fought in the recent war were glorified as heroes, and women were excluded from front line roles. The representation of a white man with a gun, amongst an exotic tribe and setting, creates a post colonialist view of britain, reflecting the fact that britain used to colonise other countries using the military - white superiority
