In this advertisement the company Bic is trying to display support of Women’s day but their ad is portrayed as a joke to women. Although in an later apology, they stated they were trying to be sincere and respectful. The ad states, “Look like a girl”. It is telling women to look like a girl, rather than a woman. To simply look young, which seems like it stems from sexual nature, to simply look young and beautiful. The next statement is “Act like a lady”. This statements comes off as women should be discrete, dainty, to be seen but not really heard because your looks mean more than their voice. The third statement says “think like a man”. This is implying that women can not think for themselves because their own gender makes them incompetent to do so. This could be taken as women must think like men to function in order to be successful. Finally, they wrap the ad up with “work like a boss”. This sums it up as, if you can look like a girl, display as pretty and young, think like a man, act like a lady, you too can be a boss.
Without proper explanation as to where Bic got the meaning and what it really stands for, it is completely taken the wrong way. This ad went viral for being stereotypical towards women. Especially when Bic came out with a line of pens for just women. It seems as though Bic may be ran by stereotyping advertising marketers. That is bad business, especially in today’s world.
In this vodka ad, it shows a burly bearded gentleman with the classic, flannel shirt, pipe in hand and ax. The picture itself is kind of stereotypical of men and what many expect men to look like. It is not a negative image in my opinion. What is negative is the message in the text. The message reads, ” you’re not a man unless you’re whipped”. Being whipped in a relationship is portrayed as being weak or an over-caterer to your partner because you are afraid of upsetting the other person or disappointing them.
The message is degrading of men who are listeners and caring partners to their significant others. Many men find that the term, “being whipped” as a very non-masculine and negative thing. This ad is stating that you are not a man unless you are whipped. Making a play on words for the beverage, which could be portrayed as a feminine drink as well.
This chip ad for POP chips is displaying Katy Perry holding 2 bags of chips at her bosom displaying the play on femininity about the chips being real, as in her breast being real. This ad is directly stereotypical towards women and femininity. It would be quite silly if this was a gentleman standing here instead, with the play on words about his breast.
Katy Perry is obviously a icon in today’s music culture and in this ad, she doesn’t look anything like what she looks like on stage or camera. In this ad, she is “perfect”. She is clearly very air brushed and her make up is flawless. Overall, looking at the picture as well as the face she is making while the play on words in the ad, this company is using a simple stereotypical “beautiful woman, picture perfect” approach. Especially, using the play on words about a woman’s breasts.
In this Thomas the Train toy ad, it states that this is a toy for boys. In the years past, there were many advertisements and toys made to please the eye of a certain gendered child. Dolls with pink clothing and flowers embroidered on the dresses or a blue race cars with red flames down the sides. These have certain gender based audiences and somehow even colors are perceived as gender specific. Why is it that blue is a “boy” color and pink is a “girl” color? this is caused because of companies similar to this one. It is simply advertised to a specific gender and people buy into the idea.
Thomas the Tank Engine is simply a train. There is nothing about a train that should be centered to just be for boys. The same goes for dolls. Some men grow up to have children, why is it that baby dolls are geared towards little girls? This toy ad as well as many like it are losing the point of kids just having fun and being enriched. Just make the toys as you do, leave the gender label out of it.
This ad for Mr.Clean is not only stereotypical about women and their “job” of cleaning but it is also very negative towards women. I am kind of surprised this one was published. In generations past, it was a woman’s job to clean the home and take care of the children. Those days are long gone.
This Mr.Clean ad is an oxymoron when you you really think about it. This ad is portraying that women should be getting back to what really matters on mothers day (of all days); cleaning. The woman in the ad is even showing her young daughter how to clean. What is funny is that their own companies icon is a man. I feel as though they took a low blow to maybe be funny but with their own icon being a male, I feel as though the joke is on them.
Gender Stereotypes in Advertisements 