Idea 1: Identity is becoming more fluid
David Gauntlett writes that there is a “decline of tradition”.
“The mass media is a force for change… The traditional view of a woman as a housewife or low-status worker has been kick-boxed out of the picture by the feisty, successful 'girl power' icons. Meanwhile the masculine ideals of absolute toughness, stubborn self-reliance and emotional silence have been shaken by a new emphasis on men's emotions, need for advice, and the problems of masculinity.”
Gauntlett highlights the differences in views on identity between young and old – e.g. on homosexuality or masculinity.
“The mass media has become more liberal, and considerably more challenging to traditional standards… and this has been a reflection of changing attitudes, but also involves the media actively disseminating modern values.
Idea 3: Things change over time
Gauntlett talks positively about the media and audiences changing over time.
“Views of gender and sexuality, masculinity and femininity, identity and selfhood, are all in slow but steady processes of change and transformation.
“These things are not stationary. To discuss gender and media is to aim arguments at moving targets - which, again, is just as well.”
Gender, identity and advertising: blog task
Read this extract from Media, Gender and Identity by David Gauntlett. This is another university-level piece of academic writing so it will be challenging - but there are some fascinating ideas here regarding the changing representation of men and women in the media.
1) What examples does Gauntlett provide of the "decline of tradition"? How can we link our advertising CSPs (Score hair cream and Maybelline 'That Boss Life') to this idea?
"The traditional view of a woman as a housewife or low-status worker has been kick-boxed out of the picture by the feisty, successful 'girl power' icons."
This links to Maybelline because the main female in the advert is portrayed as the modern, girl power and subversive female.
"Meanwhile the masculine ideals of absolute toughness, stubborn self-reliance, and emotional silence have been shaken by a new emphasis on men's emotions, need for advice, and the problems of masculinity."
This links to Score cream advert because we can see the clear contrast as the male in score cream advert is idolised and put on a pedestal whereas now we see more emotional males with less idolisation.
2) How does Gauntlett suggest the media influences the way we construct our own identities?
Television programmes, pop songs, adverts, movies and the internet all also provide numerous kinds of 'guidance' - not necessarily in the obvious form of advice-giving, but in the myriad suggestions of ways of living which they imply.
3) How do the two CSPs reflect the generational differences that Gauntlett discusses? Is it a good thing that the media seems to promote modern liberal values?
4) Why might Manny and Shayla be a good example of the role models that Gauntlett discusses - and also demonstrate how those role models have changed in recent years?
Because both Manny and Shayla are excellent examples of people who subvert the traditional gender roles, showing gender fluidity. Role models have changed because they used to be more traditional e.g. A female role model would have been an actual model or a male role model would've been a football player.
5) Why does the Score hair cream advert provide such a good example of traditional masculinity? How can you link this to Gauntlett's discussion of whether masculinity is in crisis?
Because masculinity is what makes a male and males traditionally has be the more dominant gender as they feel the need to be worshipped by the opposite sex as shown in the score hair cream advert. This links to Gauntletts discussion because he mentions how women have become more assertive and in control which is the polar opposite of what is happening in the score hair cream advert. Females would be doing mainly the opposite now instead of worshipping the male they would be more independent.
6) Gauntlett consistently argues that masculinity is not in crisis. Can the Maybelline 'That Boss Life' advert be used as evidence of this?
No, the Maybelline advert cannot be used as evidence because it reveals the change in masculinity as the male portrayed in the advert shows feminine traits which is a complete contrast to masculinity, the advert promotes gender fluidity as the male is part-taking in female activities like putting on make-up.
7) Does advertising still reinforce the "conventionally rugged, super-independent, extra-strong macho man" that Gauntlett discusses? Offer examples for both sides of the argument from the wider advertising industry.
In a way, advertising does reinforce this ideology of a male, clearly displayed by the Lynx adverts, which display the male lead impressing the ladies by applying his fragrance and impressing these ladies, which reinforces the male stereotypes in adverts that using the product will get you more girls because that is most definitely what you want.
8) Gauntlett discusses the idea of 'girl power' and offers examples from music and film. Does advertising provide evidence to support the idea of 'girl power' or is the industry still reinforcing traditional representations of men and women?
Advertising does provide evidence for the idea of girl power still being alive due to many artists, idols and other social influencers who are empowering girls and women all over the world. An example is perfume adverts where the female lead seems to be in control of the male lead in making herself seem more desirable, also in not needing the said male.
9) Do you agree with Gauntlett's argument under 'Popular feminism, women and men' where he suggests that younger generations are not threatened by traditional gender roles and are comfortable with social changes? Does advertising (and our CSPs in particular) provide examples either reinforcing or challenging this idea that younger generations are more comfortable with changing gender roles?
I believe that as young people, we are more open-minded and accepting of new beliefs, as well as aren't threatened by traditional gender roles, the same way previous generations are, so much so that we could be at a point where we are seeing less and less misogyny in younger people in the news and the media in general.
10) How do the two advertising CSPs show the changing 'diversity of sexualities' that Gauntlett suggests?
The score hair cream advert doe not really display the diversity within genders due to the fact that they are displaying typical gender roles.
However, the Maybelline advert does display the diversity of sexualities as there is a male lead in what would normally be a females position, at least for that product, being a cosmetic product.
11) What examples from advertising does Gauntlett provide for the changing nature of gender in society (from the section on Judith Butler's Gender trouble)?
CK One fragrance 'for a man or a woman' - had reminded viewers of the similarity of genders. Other ads include such as ones for Impulse deodorant and Kronenbourg lager.
12) How can the Maybelline 'That Boss Life' advert be applied to Judith Butler's work on 'gender trouble'? ("The binary division of 'male' and 'female' identities should be shattered, Butler suggested, and replaced with multiple forms of identity...")
This is through the stereotype that males should be involved in typically masculine things, therefore the fact that a make-up and cosmetics advert stars a man subverts stereotypes and gender roles that we have come to know over the years.
13) How can our two advertising CSPs be used to argue that power has shifted from media institutions to audiences? (Clue: how did Manny and Shayler from the Maybelline advert first become famous?)
In the older advert, the score hair cream advert, published in '67, clearly displays power being in the hands of the institutions which are publishing these adverts,due to the fact that the people starring in it are likely to be from a modeling agency and have no care in the world for what they were representing or doing. Therefore for a contemporary advert to tar people who have that passion and interest in the field of the advert clearly displays how the power has shifted from institutions to audiences as both Manny and Shayler have over 3 million followers on Instagram, meaning that the audience of Maybelline has displayed a clear interest in thee people.
14) Why is advertising such a good example of the 'contradictory elements' that Gauntlett discusses with regards to the mass media? In other words, how does advertising continue to both reinforce and challenge gender stereotypes?
Advertising is a good example of the contradictory element due to the fact that is an example of non-binary gender, in being gender fluid, clearly being in our CSP in the Maybelline advert, as well as being quite binary in the score hair cream advert which has examples of gender roles for both gender during this period.
15) Finally, Gauntlett makes a clear case that things change and modern identities are increasingly fluid. How do our advertising CSPs demonstrate the changing attitudes towards gender and sexuality in society?
The Maybelline advert has a lot of gender fluid references as the main star is gay, meaning that Maybelline is clearly open to the idea of being LGBTQ, which displays respect and thoughtfulness from the brand to do so, displaying the fact that we may be moving to more accepting gender fluid society, which new attitudes towards being gay, lesbian etc.
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