Women and Advertising

Click Here To Watch Maybelline Commercial

            The consumerism of the corporeal infatuation of the 21st century is conceivably the drug people overdose on, on a daily basis.People abuse this “drug” regardless of whether they believe or don’t believe, are aware or completely oblivious to being targeted for superficial marketing and a very much strategized commercialism. Imagine an 8 year-old chubby brunette with freckles getting off her school bus and seeing a huge billboard and on it observing a tall, tan, long blond haired woman clad in revealing attire and wearing a promiscuous expression on her face and having the effect on the little girl that THAT is what she HAS to look like in order to be “accepted.” And the cycle of oppression begins.

          The Dream Liquid Mousse produced by Maybelline is a makeup corporation that solicits to all types and ages of women (this made obvious when a random African American woman is shown only for a second) that strive to be desirable. The affects applied to the 30 second long commercial create appeal with the articulation and visual aids. What drew me in the most to the commercial, however, was the exotic and seductive model, Adriana Lima. With her luscious lips and entrancing blue eyes, it’s hard for any consumer to resist wanting to look like her immediately and hopping into their cars and driving to find the closest Sephora with Dream Liquid Mousse. In advertising images and popular culture, sexuality is the prerogative of the young, slender, and able-bodied(Kirk, and Okazawa-Rey 150). Many of these images portray white women(Kirk, and Okazawa-Rey 150). Melba Wilson noted that racism and sexism converge in mainstream stereotypes of women of color as “exotic creatures of passion” (Kirk, and Okazawa-Rey 150).

Something else that caught my eye after further analysis was the fact that the woman’s voice that was delineating the makeup had a low, mysterious, sensual, whispering, growl-like tone. The tone alone could be described informally as, “creepy,” but add the redundancy of the message she is trying to send and the audience could feel like they were being brainwashed. Women are expected to be modest and virtuous, to look beautiful, and simultaneously, to lure men and fend them off (Kirk, and Okazawa-Rey 150). “Like it’s been airbrushed,” sends the message that although the pictures you see in magazines of models are airbrushed, physically having the appearance of looking airbrushed is possible, and that ultimate perfection can be reached. First of all, what and who defines what perfection is? Second of all, is our culture so aesthetic obsessed that pores are considered a flaw? Third of all, what makes pores imperfect and what does that have to do with what a woman is or expected to be? Ads that use women’s bodies to sell products also sell ideas of heterosexuality(Kirk, and Okazawa-Rey 150).

As sex objects, women are commonly portrayed as child-like or doll-like playthings(Kirk, and Okazawa-Rey 150). These images flow from reinforce macro-level patriarchal constructions of gender and sexuality based on the following assumptions: Heterosexuality is prescribed or natural for women and men, men are the initiators in heterosexual encounters, and men’s sexuality is assertive and in need of regular relsease (Kirk, and Okazawa-Rey 150).

The advertisement wants you to believe that perfection is real and that with their product, you will be perfect. Also, since they spend so much time talking about how pores are imperfect and “flawed” it shows that women are still being oppressed in the fact that looking “100% flawless” is expected of women and that if a woman looks anything less than “100% flawless” than she shouldn’t be accepted by our culture’s standards. The negative mannerisms and values this commercial sends are astonishing after intense scrutiny – and I never would have noticed all of this if I was just waiting for my TV show to come back on. Feminist scholars have analyzed the oppressive nature of ads and media representations that bombard women and girls with an ideal beauty defined as thin, lean, tall, young, white, and heterosexual, with flawless skin and well-groomed hair (Kirk, and Okazawa-Rey 208).

Works Cited:

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women. Fifth. New York, New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. 150. Print.

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women. Fifth. New York, New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. 208. Print.

Service Learning Proposal For VOX
By Kara C.
September 21st, 2010
Meredith Tweed
WST 3015-0001

Community Partner: VOX
Address: 4000 Central Florida Blvd. Orlando, Florida 32816
Contact: Cari Cruz, ccruz1017@yahoo.com
Community Partner Mission Statement: "Being pro-choice, we believe that every man and woman have the right to make choices pertaining to their own bodies. In short, every individual should have the fundamental right to manage his or her fertility. VOX supports full access to comprehensive reproductive and complementary health care services in settings that preserve and protect the essential privacy of and rights of each individual." (VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood).

Political and/or Social Basis for Organization: VOX acts as a liason between the university and the reproductive health centers and promotes safer sex practices through education and organizing events for the "advocation of public policies that gaurantee these rights and ensure access to such services" (VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood).

The Proposal
Memorandum
TO: Meredith Tweed
FROM: Kara Corallo
DATE: September 21st, 2010
RE: Proposal to Write a Feasability Report for a Service Learning Project
The following is a proposal to outline the needs, rationale and feasibility for a service learning project to benefit VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood. The following proposal contains background on the need for and benefits of a Reproductive Health Awareness Event, an outline of the work I plan to do, the rationale for its inclusion in WST 3015, and a scheduled timeline. This proposal may need to be revised after beginning the project and must be flexible to meet the needs of the both the Service Learning project and the community partner.

The Need for Increased Awareness of Reproductive Health and Rights
The contingency of reproductive health and rights for men and women both depend chiefly on raising awareness. Abstinence-only advocation has generally become a road with a dead-end sign, as the 21st century's culture laughs at the concept of abstinence. It is only realistic and preventative to raise awareness in the sense that fornication needs to be approached with the education of birth control, etc. VOX works through Planned Parenthood as a Student Organization at UCF with organized events and advocation.

Patricia P. and I plan to advertise and organize a movie night at Natura, where we will be showing the production of the film "Juno" directed by Jason Reitman, starring Ellen Paige. The movie follows the life of a quirky 16 year old girl whom has an unplanned pregnancy, although the film is meant to be a comedy - it shows emotion and physical strength it has to go through something so unexpected at such a young age. Then after the film we will have a question and answer session regarding our awareness project. After running it over with the president of VOX, Cari Cruz, we plan on making contact with Natura and booking a night for as soon as possible with them. Next, we will advertise the night by making posters and sticking them on the walls around campus. When the time comes for congregation at this unique and in-vogue cafe, we will also make it known that we are accepting donations for VOX.

VOX also brought up the idea of raising awareness regarding HPV transmission among men. This establishes the concept that Planned Parenthood is for both women AND men! As more information is given out on this awareness project, I will blog about it in more elaborate detail.

We plan on taking on both of these tasks in order to support VOX.

Rationale for Women's Studies
I believe that reproductive issues are extremely critical to third-wave feminism and how young people view sex and reproductive health at this day in age. "Researcher Heather Boonstra (2007), a policy associate at the Alan Guttmacher Institute, reviewed compelling evidence that abstinence-only programs do not stop - or even delay - teen sex"(Kirk, and Okazawa-Rey 153-213). Education and awareness of contraception is more valuable and effective regardless of whether or not a person is sexually active - it is the fact that they are aware of how to protect themselves in the case that they find themselves in a sexual situation with a partner. The United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy of all industrialized countries (Kirk, and Okazawa-Rey 153-213). Reproductive health and Planned Parenthood relate to women's studies tremendously from demographic studies to contraceptives and abortion clinics to sex education. These aspects of reproductive health give all women a standpoint and/or attitude on some aspect of their lives, whether they realize this or not.

Steps of Action
Patricia Parker and I will be making a reservation at Natura to host an awareness event on sexual education and reproduction health. We will be showing the movie Juno, as mentioned previously, which follows the life of a 16 year old girl who copulates with her best friend and ends up getting pregnant. We watch Juno (actress Ellen Paige) struggle with finding a good family to adopt her child and the responsibilities of an expecting mother. We agreed that Juno would be entertaining and informing enough to show because it is relevant to the topic we are raising awareness for, clearly. Immediately after the movie we will take any questions that our audience has and promote safe sex. Also, I will be giving out free condoms to anyone who needs them. If we get a decent amount of donations we will consider having another event of some sort..

Timeline
Natura event - Within the next 2-3 weeks depending on their schedule book, TBA
Up until the event - Rent Juno from Netflix, start advertising the event, buy condoms to pass out
Event to raise awareness for HPV transferred among men - TBA by VOX

Word Count: 953

Works Cited

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives. Fifth. New York, New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. 153-213. Print.