For my final
project I will create what I’m calling “A Parody of Advertisements.” Through an
extensive slideshow, which will be shared on either different social media
platforms (Facebook, YouTube) or a website—it has yet to be decided, I will be
taking different advertisements that encourage gender roles, and re-stage them
with models of the opposite genders then the original. Through the
ridiculousness of these parodies, I’m hoping to open viewer’s eyes to the
ridiculousness of gender roles in advertisements.
The advertisement world markets off
of gender roles, and society accepts the fact because we don’t know any
different. This is the way it’s always been. Since the beginning of
advertisement time, women have been portrayed as the passive server in advertisements,
while men as the strong, active leader. Unfortunately, advertisement has a
bigger influence on society then we may be aware of or are willing to accept.
These gender roles are constantly being forced upon women and it needs to stop.
We need to recognize that this mistreatment in ads then influences women's mistreatment
in life. Women deserve better. And if women are not being portrayed as passive
and serving, they’re being over-sexualized.
Women’s portrayal in advertisements
is very ridiculous and demeaning. But, society is often blind to this.
I
will take ads from popular brands (both past and present) that fall victim of
portraying women in demeaning gender roles. I will also take ads that fall victim to portraying men in strong
and encouraging gender roles. I will then switch the models. I want to show how natural it is for women to
take men places in advertisements, because they too are strong and independent creatures. And how
unnatural it is for men to take women places in advertisement, because the
gender roles put upon women are cruel, unrealistic and unfair. I'm hoping this project will open up some people's eyes, and encourage change in women's portrayal in advertisement and media.
This Tom Ford ad over sexualizes women, and is a contender for an ad I may re-stage. |
- How Media Sexism Demeans Women And Fuels Abuse By Men Like Weinstein
- Modern Ads Continue to Sexualize and Objectify Women
- Women: Representation In Advertising
- Susan Bordo, "Hunger as an Ideology"
- Maggie Wykes/Barrie Gunter, "Conclusion" from The Media and Body Image
I love this concept, Tamsin! You mentioned how you plan to take ads from popular brands of both past and present campaigns. I would suggest focusing on more present day, current advertising for your subversion because the impact on us as the viewer will be stronger! I am sure you will still be able to find current day advertising that contributes to harmful gender stereotyping. Best of luck with this, can't wait to see your finished product!
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