Gender in Advertising An Analysis

Gender in Advertising An Analysis Women have been portrayed in numerous roles throughout the ages in advertising, varying from wife and mother to business women. This essay will delve deeper into two certain time periods, (the 50-60s through to the 2000 to present day.) and what roles woman were portrayed in during these times. If there is significant changes between the two time periods questions will be asked into why they have changed and is this due to different attitudes in society. As Advertising of the 1960s, was considered a decade often called the Golden Age of Advertising. (Nemhauser, M. (2014) Real Mad Men, P1) It would be thought that the adverts within this era would be powerful and memorable. However it is memorable to woman for all the wrong reasons. Woman within adverts through the 50-60s were only ever portrayed as wives and mothers, and more often than not they were always making a mistake within their role. For example within Figure (Figure 1, 1960s Folgers Coffee Ad) 1, it shows a print screen of an advert by Folgers. Within these averts It portrays woman who are incapable of making a good cup of coffee for their husbands. All of the Folgers adverts around the 1960s went with the same vain. That before the men were going out to work on a morning their wives would make them an awful cup of coffee. Portraying woman as useless wives that couldnt even do the simplest task correctly. The strategy behind the advert was to guilt trip women into buying Folgers coffee so that they could finally make their husbands happy. Although this technique did work, when looking back onto this advert, it simply berates and undermines woman. However as the war had passed and lead to more woman taking on other roles in work forces rather than just wives and mothers, advertising changed with them the times. Different forms of advertising made use of this revolution by showing woman taking on different roles like secretaries. Although this should have been a good thing, portraying woman out of the house, it still showed very sexist views against woman as a gender. For example woman were never seen as the boss or anyone in power they were always just a general lower class employee, and often only at work to help men. A primary example of this can be seen within Figure 2. A classic Xerox advert that portrayed a woman as a mans secretary having to do jobs like printing, scanning, filing etc. All jobs that would help the man within his career. Although this isnt enough to show a woman as just a secretary, the advert has the woman stating many things that she cant do. I cant type, I dont take dictation I wont sharpen pencils, I cant file, and my boss calls me indispensable. This portrays the woman as a (Figure 2, 1960s Xerox Ad) very weak individual. The advert goes on to show the woman being told to photocopy something for her boss, and shes able to due to the Xerox machine as its easy to use just press a button and it does the work for her. Although the adverts have changed from wives in the kitchen to a woman actually working for herself, all the adverts in the 50-60s have the same underlying message. Which is that woman cant do anything right, and If they do its because theyve had help from a product, such as a Xerox machine or Folgers Coffee. Which in turn portrays woman as the weaker class in comparison to men. The final advert to investigate is a print advert, figure 3, from the 1950s for Mr Leggs. Through this print advert the message is more direct than the others, the fact that men are far more superior to woman. This was only hinted at through the other adverts, as the man went off to work to earn the money while his wife couldnt even make a coffee. To a boss telling his secretary to do something that she wouldnt have been able to do without Xerox. Although they both shown men as superior, figure 3 displays this message in a much more abrupt way. As seen within the poster a man walks all over a woman, and the message that can be taken from the ad is that a woman can easily be tamed with the use of brute force, animal magnetism and a pair of Mr Leggs Slacks. (Figure 3, 1950s Mr Leggs Ad) In conclusion adverts from the 1950-60s portrayed woman in not the best light. It showed them as people who cannot do things right without the help of either a man or a product. Causing them to be seen as the weaker sex and inferior to men. This could be due to the fact society in that era were very set in their ways. It was the men who went off to war and the woman stayed to look after the house and children. It had always been this way and nothing had ever changed it. However due to the growth of feminism in the late 1960s the debate over the portrayal of woman in adverting intensified and the National Organization for Women, founded in 1966, sought to eliminate gender based stereotypes in the mass media. (Unknown author, (2003) Woman: representation in advertising.)ÂÂ   This could have been the start of where woman were giving an equal representation within the adverts we see to this day. (Figure 4, 2007, Dolce Gabbana ad) It is only since the mid-20th century that women have been shown in roles other than house wives and woman doing their job wrong. Therefore this must mean advertising has taken a turn for the better, where the portrayal of woman is concerned. Yet when looking at Figure 4, it shows a woman being restrained by a man while other men look on. This feels again degrading to woman in a different way to the ads of the 50-60s, as there is actually no body copy or script stating that woman are inferior to men however this is stated through just the use of the image and is still just as demeaning towards the female figure. The role of the woman in this ad seems to be there for the pleasure of the men. As the look on the womans face almost looks expressionless, and absent from the scene as if she is trying to escape the thought of the situation. The fact that she is being restrained also suggests that the woman needs to do whatever the men want, much like the ads from the 60s. This particular ad vertising campaign was banned a few weeks after its launch due to the backlash it received from woman. Another campaign was launched in 2013 by American Apparel, figure 5. This shows two ads portraying a man and a woman in the same shirt. The campaign is trying to sell the same unisex shirt to men and woman in two different ways. However both the ways used seem to be geared towards men. As the woman is half naked therefore being used as a sexual object to sell the shirt to men. This type of advertsing is not geared towards woman (Figure 5, 2013, American Apparel ad) Compare / contrast adverts / significant changes between them: There is less body copy on the more recent adverts however still the same underlying meaning have. There is difference between the two times periods, therefore indicating there has been some change in the attitudes of society. Peoples attitudes have most certainly changed due to the fact the Dolce Gabbana ad was actually pulled just a few weeks after its launch. This shows that woman do have a voice and are listened to. Unlike in the 50-60sÂÂ   where if the woman did not like the way they had been portrayed in an advert, then it was probably their fault for being offended anyway. Although there is changes in society, images of woman in advertising have hardly been uniform, but several themes recur; the housewife ecstatic over a new cleaning product; the anxious woman fearing the loss of youthful attractiveness; the subservient spouse dependent on her assertive husband; the object of means sexual gaze and desire (Pope, D. (Unknown date) Making sense of advertisements, P6).ÂÂ   This has always been the case since advertising begun and to this day. Showing us that society has changed from showing woman in multiple roles rather than just a woman doing something wrong. However these multiple roles can always be seen in one of the groups stated by Daniel Pope. To conclude the roles of woman have changed throughout time. However even though the roles have changed from housewife to beautiful models there still is a reoccurring theme throughout all of the adverts examined. That sexism in which woman are portrayed has only adapted from woman needing men to pleasing men, it hasnt went away or got any better. Its is just been advertised in different ways. A lot of the adverts today show woman as just sex symbols, to please men and due to this all ads seemed to be geared towards men. Furthermore I think womans roles in advertising has always been inferior to men, and probably always will be until everything between men and woman is equal.

Marketing :: essays research papers

Unit 5 _____________________________________________________________________________________ Learning Objectives Unit 5 is divided into two lessons: Lesson 5A: Personal and Online Selling Lesson 5B: The Marketing Plan Unit 5 wraps up the promotional techniques with personal and online selling, then calls on you to pull it all together for your project with a final Marketing Plan in place of a final exam. This will complete the â€Å"learning by doing† part of the course and give you a taste of what marketers do that affects our lives. Overview of Written Assignment Lesson 5A is really a carryover of two more promotional elements from Lesson 4B: personal selling and online selling, which could be considered as part of direct marketing, but which gets its own consideration in Chapter 21 of the text. Personal selling and sales management could be a course of their own, and we will keep that brief without a written assignment. Online selling, however, is a hot topic, even after the burst of the Internet stock bubble, with much written about it. We will try to summarize strategic choices and good practices for you, and we will give you a chance to design a Website for your product, service, or organization (on paper – you will not have to learn computer programming here). If your organization already has a Website, we will ask you to critique it using the guidelines we give you for a good design. Lesson 5B wraps it all up and asks you to pull together the components of the Marketing Plan you have been building, lesson by lesson, and send it in. That will be, in effect, your final exam, and hopefully something you can use in the future. Instructor’s Notes Lesson 5A: Personal and Online Selling â€Å"Cows don’t give milk. You have to take it from them, twice a day.† – Anonymous In 1939, when Ben Feldman entered the life insurance business, selling $1 million worth of insurance in a year got you into the industry’s Hall of Fame. In 1956, operating out of East Liverpool, Ohio, Feldman was selling $1 million a month, in 1966, $1 million a week, and in 1969, $2 million a week. In February 1992, New York Life had a special sales contest to celebrate Feldman’s fiftieth year with the company. Feldman won, selling more than $15 million worth of insurance that month. At the time, he was recuperating in Florida from a brain hemorrhage (Corman). 1 How did Ben Feldman do it? He tried phrases out on his wife, Fritzie. â€Å"Honey, listen to this. Is it ‘No one ever died with enough money’ or ‘No one ever died with too much

Driving the Dairy business Essay

In the article â€Å"Driving the Dairy business†, Howard assert that, this article focuses on the impact of unprecedented food inflation to bakery and dairy products in the U.S. It cites that recent price volatility fueled by a weak dollar, rising energy costs, consumer wariness, competitive pressure and other factors is making it hard to market staples like bakery and dairy items, primarily fluid milk. According to the article, the weakening on the commodity in cheese and nonfat dry milk drives the prices for dairy in general. Application of the content to my group project A company profile of Saputo Inc., which is engaged in manufacturing and marketing of dairy products like milk, cream, sour cream, yogurt and cottage cheese, is presented. An overview of the company is given, along with key facts including contact information, number of employees and revenues. Positive aspects of the article In the article , Howard use the specific numbers and statistics to illustrate the worst food inflation in nearly decades. Also , the author quote some famous person or the authority system said â€Å"Dairy is a staple item that has been subjected to some record retail price points. That is now softening, which may be good news for the consumer. The flip side is that it will hurt the farmers in the short term so we may see further attrition in the agricultural community because of that Missing items and points The analysis of how to driving dairy business. Personal reflections on the article As the report noted, â€Å"Smaller households are less likely to shop (a supermarket or convenience store) in-store bakery, in large part because they don’t want to deal with waste or spoilage from products that are too big for them to consume. As the categories in cheese and nonfat dry milk are weakened on the commodity side it ultimately drives the prices for dairy in general. â€Å"If the larger stores like Costco, Wal-Mart and Price Chopper are moving prices down, overall market prices are moving down with them. A lot of the big stores–the club stores, the large supermarkets and the mass merchandisers–will move their milk price each month, going up or going down

Information on the Test for US Citizenship

Before immigrants to the United States seeking citizenship can take the Oath of U.S. Citizenship and begin enjoying the benefits of citizenship, they must pass a naturalization test administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), formerly known as the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). The test consists of two parts: the civics test and the English language test. In these tests, applicants for citizenship are, with certain exemptions for age and physical impairment, expected to demonstrate that they can read, write, and speak words in ordinary daily usage in the English language, and that they have a basic knowledge and understanding of American history, government, and tradition. The Civics Test For most applicants, the most difficult part of the naturalization test is the civics test, which assesses the applicants knowledge of basic U.S. government and history. In the civics portion of the test, applicants are asked up to 10 questions on American government, history and integrated civics, like geography, symbolism and holidays. The 10 questions are randomly selected from a list of 100 questions prepared by the USCIS. While there may be more than one acceptable answer to many of the 100 questions, the civics test is not a multiple choice test. The civics test is an oral test, administered during the naturalization application interview.In order to pass the civics portion of the test, applicants must correctly answer at least six (6) of the 10 randomly selected questions.In October 2008, the USCIS replaced the old set of 100 civics test questions used since its old INS days, with a new set of questions in an attempt to improve the percentage of applicants passing the test. The English Language Test The English language test has three parts: speaking, reading, and writing. The applicants ability to speak English is evaluated by a USCIS official in a one-on-one interview during which the applicant completes the Application for Naturalization, Form N-400. During the test, the applicant will be required to understand and respond to directions and questions spoken by the USCIS official.In the reading portion of the test, the applicant must read one out of three sentences correctly in order to pass. In the writing test, the applicant must write one out of three sentences correctly. Passing or Failing and Trying Again Applicants are given two chances to take the English and civics tests. Applicants who fail any part of the test during their first interview will be retested on only the part of the test they failed within from 60 to 90 days. While applicants who fail the retest are denied naturalization, they retain their status as Lawful Permanent Residents. Should they still wish to pursue U.S. citizenship, they must reapply for naturalization and repay all associated fees. How Much Does the Naturalization Process Cost? The current (2016) application fee for U.S. naturalization is $680, including an $85 biometric fee for fingerprinting and identification services. However, applicants 75 years of age or older are not charged the biometric fee, bringing their total fee down to $595.   How Long Does it Take? USCIS reports that as of June 2012, the average total processing time for an application for U.S. naturalization was 4.8 months. If that seems like a long time, consider that in 2008, processing times averaged 10-12 months and have been as long as 16-18 months in the past. Test Exemptions and Accommodations Because of their age and time as legal permanent U.S. residents, some applicants are exempt from the English requirement of the test for naturalization and may be allowed to take the civics test in the language of their choice. In addition, seniors who have certain medical conditions can apply for waivers to the naturalization test. Applicants age 50 or older when they filed for naturalization and have lived as a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) in the United States for 20 years are exempt from the English language requirement.Applicants age 55 or older when they filed for naturalization and have lived as a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) in the United States for 15 years are exempt from the English language requirement.While they may be exempt from the English language requirement, all senior applicants are required to take the civics test ​but may be allowed to take it in their native language. Complete information on exemptions to the naturalization tests can be found on the USCIS Exceptions Accommodations website. How Many Pass? According to the USCIS, more than 1,980,000 naturalization tests were administered nationwide from October 1, 2009, through June 30, 2012. USCIS reported that as of June 2012, the overall nationwide pass rate for all applicants taking both the English and civics tests was 92%. In 2008, the USCIS redesigned the naturalization test. The goal of the redesign was to improve overall pass rates by providing a more uniform and consistent testing experience while effectively assessing the applicants knowledge of U.S. history and government.Data from the USCIS report Study on Pass/Fail Rates for Naturalization Applicants  indicate that the pass rate for applicants taking the new test is significantly higher than the pass rate for applicants taking the old test.According to the report, the average annual pass rate for the overall naturalization test has improved from 87.1% in 2004 to 95.8% in 2010. The average annual pass rate for the English language test improved from 90.0% in 2004 to 97.0% in 2010, while the pass rate for the civics test improved from 94.2% to 97.5%.