Tide Flashcards
REPRESENTATION AND AUDIENCE
What is bell hooks theory?
Feminist theory - suggested idea that feminism is a struggle to end sexist/patriarchal oppression.
What is Van Zoonens theory?
Feminist theory - The display of women’s bodies as objects to be looked at is a core element of the western patriarchal culture (meaning it is a part of our everyday lives seeing women as objects)
What is Laura Mulvey’s theory?
Male gaze - Women in media are positioned in order to satisfy the male desire. The camera is from the male pov.
What is Stuart Hall’s representation theory?
Stereotyping as a form of representation, reduces people to a few characteristics or traits.
Also stereotyping tends to occur when there are inequalities of power.
How can you apply Stuart Hall’s representation theory to Tide?
- Women in image is stereotyped as her life revolving around housework.
- Inequalities in power due to time of release (1950’s) men were in positions of authority eg working and women reduced to having to stay and home and do chores.
What is Gauntlett’s representation theory?
Media provide us with resources that we use to construct our identity.
- Media previous offered straightforward representations of male and female identities but now the media offers a diverse range of people we can pick and mix different ideas.
How can you apply Gauntlett’s theory to Tide?
“Tide’s got what women want”, the generalisation of women can make it seem as if all women SHOULD be following the societal norm of being a housewife, viewers may see women portrayed in this light so often they adapt themselves to fit that image.
- The woman in Tide is a common representation of women in the 1950s and so she may act as a role model of perfection and so other women may construct their identity around her.
What is an enigma code?
Clues are dropped but no answers and given which makes the audience want to know more.
What does the main image contain?
- Stereotypical beautiful woman is hugging Tide product.
- She is wearing makeup, her hair is done perfectly.
- Just above are hearts coming off, suggesting her being in lvoe with the product.
What does the main image connote?
The main image coincides with Mulvey’s male gaze theory and Gauntlett’s theory in how they’ve deliberately included a stereotypically beautiful woman to promote their product in hope to attract not only women but men as well. The use of costume (hair and makeup) done perfectly, connotes the expectation for women to be perfect at all times, no matter what they’re doing. Women who do not look like her may feel a sense of inferiority compared to her and may strive to be like her by purchasing the product.
What aspects of media language are used to attract audiences?
- The use of the colour red, which typically has connotations of love, attraction, passion and joy, is eyecatching.
- Z formation draws reader’s attention to the slogan “Tide’s got what women want!” which creates an enigma code of curiosity on what Tide actually offers that’s so good “women” in general want it.
What representations of women are reinforced throughout Tide?
- Repetition of “women” reinforces women are all the same rather than individuals. Also conveys a pressure to conform to societal norms.
- Use of attractive women as the focal point to the poster suggests women who use/buy Tide are beautiful or that women only exist to look pretty and do housework.
- Language used represents women and narrow minded and uneducated for example the bold words “CLEANEST” “WHITEST” “BRIGHTENS” are used as if they instantly attract women and will make them want to buy it.
What aspects of media language are used throughout the composition to influence meaning?
Headings, subheadings and slogans written in sans-serif font connoting an informal mode of address.
- Reinforced with the comic strip at the bottom using informal lexis (sudsing whizz).
- Z formation positioned to continuously attract and intrigue the viewer (enigma code from the slogan which hooks the reader, smaller and main image which clarifies who they’re attracting, info on the product to justify to the audience.
- Pink hearts emitting from the main image used to attract female audiences and reinforce representation of women being shallow in the sense that this is what sums up being a woman: the best laundry detergent.
What is Tide’s target audience?
Women, aged 18-40, predominantly with a family, housewife, aspirer.
How does Tide target its audience?
By having a conventionally attractive woman as the main image (common for most Tide adverts), women may aspire to be like her (Gauntlett’s theory), and choose to purchase the product in hopes of becoming like her.
The use of binary opposites, comparing tide to other washday products, alongside the language used ‘Cleanest ‘Whitest’ and ‘Brightens’, encourages audiences to take a preferred reading and engage with he ad by purchasing.
- Image of a washing machine reflects the recent boom of consumerism after the war, people were getting more disposable income and therefore becoming for affluent and able to buy more fashionable/trendy items.
