This ad clearly portrays how the media constructs reality. This overall ad is promoting against every negative stereotype that women face today. The magazine on the left, however, IS promoting those negative stereotypes. It is endorsing body image and that a great body image is everything. In this ad, we can see how they took an already naturally beautiful woman and using technology, morphed her into what our idea of “beauty” is today. The focus of the changes made to the woman is certainly on her weight, as they reduced the excess fat on her to make her appear skinnier. This magazine cover gives the impression that beauty = thinness and that in order to be attractive, you must be slim. The magazine furthermore reinforces this idea by having on the cover, in large letters, “SKINNY PILLS”. This ad is encouraging every woman out there to become as skinny as this woman, a goal that they will strive for but never reach because the weight of this woman is not real. As well, the ad promotes the idea that beauty = happiness. On the front cover, they circled the bold words “love your life”, giving off the impression that you can love you life and live in happiness IF you are as artificially beautiful as this woman.
However, the kind of reality that is created is one that is not real. They’re creating a false reality that this beauty is reachable and accessible when it is not. The truth is that this woman does not really look like that, yet the media affects the meaning of the ad by making it appear that she is. They reduced the fat on her, cleared all her blemishes, fixed her hair and her cheekbones and her chest area so that after dozens of transformations, she is finally “perfect”. All women will then strive for this look that the media has created as it has morphed into a false reality.
However, the kind of reality that is created is one that is not real. They’re creating a false reality that this beauty is reachable and accessible when it is not. The truth is that this woman does not really look like that, yet the media affects the meaning of the ad by making it appear that she is. They reduced the fat on her, cleared all her blemishes, fixed her hair and her cheekbones and her chest area so that after dozens of transformations, she is finally “perfect”. All women will then strive for this look that the media has created as it has morphed into a false reality.
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KEY CONCEPT #2
Depending on who you are, chances are that you will interpret this ad in a very different way from another person. I think that there are two main audiences that would take two completely different meanings away from this ad. This ad shows a woman, in her forties, with two boxes next to her to check: either 44 and hot or 44 and not. I believe that if you were a young girl, say in your twenties, and looked at this ad, you would say 44 and not. Still being very young, only half the age of this woman, you have a completely different view on what true beauty is. You would look at this woman and only see her age and the wrinkles in her eyes. You wouldn’t necessarily call her beautiful, you’d just think of her as old. This ad wouldn’t really have a major affect on you because you’d glance at it and only see an old woman, not even a possibility for beauty. However, if you were an older woman, say also in her forties or even older, you would look at this ad completely different. You would see a woman, much like herself, and understand and sympathize with her of how she too used to be a gorgeous, young girl like you and is now old. You would understand that her age does not mean lack of beauty, if anything it represents the years she’s lived and the accomplishments she’s achieved, which are true signs of real beauty. You would look at this woman and see yourself in her eyes and mentally check the box that says 44 and hot, because you can communicate with her through empathy and understanding. You would take a lot away from this ad because you would truly understand it, seeing as it seems to be particularly aimed at you.
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KEY CONCEPT #3
There are various commercial implications and examples of product placement in the TV show, American Idol, which has been named the number one show with regards to product placement.
First off, every single episode, the host Ryan Seacrest encourages viewers at home to download the songs sang that night by contestants onto their Apple I-pods, advertising the company “Apple”. He then advertises AT&T Wireless every episode while telling viewers to vote for their favourite contestant. As well, all of the judges are always drinking from red Coca-Cola cups throughout the show. Furthermore advertising Coca Cola, while they wait to hear the votes every week, contestants wait in the red “Coca-Cola” lounge, sitting on the red “Coca-Cola” couch. Next, each week, there are music videos that the contestants participate in and film. Every music video displays the newest and latest Ford, this clearly advertising the Ford Company. American Idol also uses product placement in things such as props and background placements throughout the show. Coca-Cola, Ford, and AT&T must all have contracts with American Idol, paying them to advertise their product in their show. Therefore American Idol is only making money off of this strategic product placement.
KEY CONCEPT #4
This ad contains many value statements, all of them negative. The main focus of this ad is a woman, nearly naked, lying down while a man stands atop of her holding alcohol and two glasses. This ad gives off the impression that if you drink that brand of alcohol, you too can get beautiful girls like the one here, portraying that a major value in life is not only having beautiful women but also being in charge of them, which is clearly shown here. The main value in this ad is that men are in power, this being portrayed by the man standing over the woman, insinuating that he is the one in power and superior to her. As well, the background of the ad is a beautiful beach paradise, showing that this alcohol is related to this beautiful setting, portraying that it can bring you to a paradise much like that one. In this ad, the man is also wearing a suit, giving off the impression that the alcohol is a special one, only for the wealthiest, giving off the value that money and wealth is everything and represents success in every which way. This ad, therefore, is giving off the values that men are in power, wealth is important, and that drinking this alcohol will result in you having success, a beautiful girl, and a paradise much like the one in this ad.
I agree with Key Concept #1 because it clearly shows how the media constructs reality. The picture is a great example for the key concept because it reinforces this point with the image before and after it was edited. It shows how this perfect reality was created. To add to key concepts 2 and 4 i would add the production techniques of who created it, where does it come from, who owns it, and who profits. Overall it is a great blog post with strong examples and explanations of the key concepts of the media.
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