Representation Analysis

Using the links below, view two of the advertisements.    Create a posting during which you discuss representation.  Consider gender, social class, age, race/ethnicity, etc.  What are the possible effects upon audiences when faced with these representation examples?


1. 
Tide (Links to an external site.)
Tide Commercial

           The commercial is of a white woman who is talking about how her daughter wears cargo shorts and "boyish clothes."  She explains that even when the clothes got nasty stains on them tide was able to get them out. But the tone f her voice was disappointed and uncomfortable. This makes the audience infer that she didn't want the stains to be removed since she didn't want her baby girl to wear these clothes. This is a representation of the average white family, gender, and how the little girl is breaking society's stereotypes of what a little girl should wear. The mom says "we tried the pink thing" meaning that since she is a girl she should be wearing pink because of her gender. This is a bad representation of little girls and women. Since women should be able to wear man clothes and should not be pulled down by society's rules. Gender is being misrepresented in this commercial. This is one of the things that shape audiences, this commercial makes generations that are growing belief that they can't wear what they want because of their genders and that their parents won't want them to. Not to mention the mise-en-scene of the commercial. Most of the objects in the room are pink and light colors just like what the mother is wearing. This would be the acceptable colors for a girl to wear. But the girl is wearing a dark green and give a contrast in the room. This makes her look as if she doesn't belong and sidelined in society's eyes.

2.
Axe (Links to an external site.)
Axe Commercial
           The Axe commercial gives a horrible representation of women. The commercial is about a man putting on the Axe deodorant as the audience sees the women run out. The women run out to represent wild animals growling and barefoot running. The women are wearing tiny bikinis almost naked and exposed. They are to be depicted as animals. Tons of women come flooding in pushing each other and acting savagely to add to the animal sense. At the near end, it shows they were running towards a man putting on Axe. As it finishes the man smirks at the camera. The main audience for this commercial was men.  Because showing women almost naked running towards a man will want to make their buy their product. But this effects society because then expectation changes on how women are supposed to look.  It also describes women dependent on men and only to there to please men. In this commercial, the women are extremely sexualized just so men will buy the product. This bad representation creates bad expectations for women.