I have always been interested in why women are always naked (or half naked) in body product advertisements and I would like to get everyone's input on these advertisements below.
Some starter questions: Why do you think these women are naked? Who do you think these advertisements are trying to please? Why do you think women buy the products in these advertisements? Would you buy the products in these advertisements? You can add any other input too, I would like this to start a discussion.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Lets get naked!
Just some thoughts by Amanda at 3:54 PM
Labels: Advertisements, Gender, Gender Studies, magazine advertisements., Naked, Naked Women, women in advertising, Women's Studies
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8 comments:
In general, I think it might be an idealism thing. Women see products advertised using society's ideals of beauty, and want to be that themselves, so will buy the product to become an ideal. Since beauty is considered a way to attract men, it makes some sense for the ads to be slightly erotic by showing near-naked models. Also, it might get the attention of a guy flipping through a magazine, causing him to go buy it as a gift for his girlfriend/wife as part of his own wish fulfillment thing.
With these, majority of them are for skin care products. Maybe a misguided logic attempt led to the setups? Skin treatment --> show lots of skin. Not sure beyond that.
I would second Brittanie, however I would also like to note that from a purely logical stand point these body products are designed to improve the skin (or body), so in order to show that they work you must show the skin. I'm not saying that the companies aren't playing off of sexuality but how else would you advertise lotion, or tanning cream? This combined with our societies highly erotic mentality gives you a result of mildly pornographic advertisement. Shocking sells, and it sells to both men and women no matter what the product is.
I also meant to mention that in showing skin it's not just any skin, but flawless, perfect, photoshopped skin. An unattainable goal, but one that get's pushed around so frequently that we forget to question it.
Why do you think these women are naked?
Quite frankly because SEX SELLS!
Who do you think these advertisements are trying to please?
The public at large, targeting people with disposable income with the physcological message that if they buy these products they will be better off.
Why do you think women buy the products in these advertisements?
to feel better about themselves. Would you buy the products in these advertisements?
Certainly not, but the models caught my eye and I took the time to write on your blog.
Simple, Sex sells. Men are pigs and have always and will always look at women like that. I think women look at the products and think hmm would I like that body wash or whatever.
I, as a man, kind of resent the above statement labeling men as "pigs". Does the fact that a sexy or provocative advertisement entices me as a consumer to buy a product make me a "pig"? Does the fact that I am reacting on a basically biological level to a visual stimulus also automatically designate me as a "pig"? We as the human species, men and ... Read More women included, have basically one imperative in our lives: to propagate the species, to continue the survival of the human race as a whole. Can you honestly say that you have not looked at a man and had sexual thoughts? How do those thoughts and desires in you as a woman somehow exclude from the label of "pig"? This type of generalization confuses me.
The women are naked, or partially naked, because skin catches people attention. As for the goal of the ad, please is probably the wrong word. The advertisement by definition is trying to entice. Either way the answer is the consumer. That can be either a girl wanting what is being sold or a boy wanting the girl he knows to possess what is being peddled. By showing all the idealized images the ad creates a link from image to product. You then carry the logic to say that if you posses said product you become like the image. Personally I think skin creams are a racket. So all these idealized images really don’t affect me. Then again, I am not in the target audience. There are ads I fall for both knowingly and unwittingly. Just not these.
Pumpkin
I like what u all wrote... though to my personal understanding of this issue no men or women should be blamed for what we are forced to be.. as early as the childhood even before being born we are ingrained into gender- roles stereotypes.it is not to the benefit of women but if u look deeply, things are not that much promising for men as well--- social hegemonies, politics and masterminds are diluting the reality of men and women in the worst shape possible--u and me cant do anything all we gotta do is to join them otherwise will be beaten up.
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