Objectified Male v. Large Woman

Objectified Male V. Large Woman

Trends In Advertising:

The Implication Of Male Beauty Models On Body Image

Throughout history, women have had to fight a battle against a way of thinking that suggested they were valued only by their looks. In societies throughout the world, women bear the repercussions of the stereotypes associated with their sex. In the United States, a woman might still hear a whistle or cat call as she walks down the street, a sexist gesture that suggests the person making the noise is valuing her only for her looks. In some countries, women must cover themselves so that they might not cause men to look at them lustfully. Still, in recent years, the frustrations that women looks have been facing in regard to being objectified by their looks have also been transferred to men. As society has deemed it more and more acceptable for men to become objects of erotic gaze, they have beginning to face pressure about their bodies similar to the types of pressure that women have traditionally felt.

Throughout the world, women are used to sell everything from personal products to cars to electronics. It is their sexuality and their beauty that is put on display in these adds, encouraging the would-be consumer to buy not just because the woman might use the product, but also because the woman is beautiful and sexually arousing. For instance, the following advertisement for Nivea Deodorant certainly seems innocent enough (Nivea).

The woman's satisfied expression can be read as her appreciation for the deodorant brand, and the fact that she is wearing a tank top can be explained by the fact that the deodorant's producers most likely wanted to emphasize the fact that the product could be used without leaving white marks. Further, even the fact that the advertiser chose a woman can be logically explained by the fact that this product is most likely for women. Still, a closer look at the advertisement reveals a slender figure, glossy lops, dark eyes, and a complexion whose freckles have been lightened. The bottle of Nivea deodorant is situated directly in front of where the observer can see the model's cleavage.

Thus, even this seemingly innocent advertisement implies women's long struggle. The fact that models, even those as natural looking as the one in the advertisement above, have been used to offer a commentary on women who are not models. Women are expected to look as polished and perfect as models; they face the pressure to be thin, have gorgeous faces, and have curvy body types. They are also expected to have a sense of style for clothing, makeup, and hair. Even though the women in advertisements such as the one above often receive print effects such as airbrushing to remove blemishes or make them look thinner, the public still expects women to have this kind of look. Further, women who do tend to look more like models than not are often judged only by their beauty. Women of all body types and looks, then, face the pressure of a society that values a woman based on her beauty.

Men have traditionally escaped this pressure. In years prior, male models were not just featured as a portrait, like women models were. For instance, the female model in the Nivea Deodorant advertisement can be assumed to be a deodorant user, but she does not have a role that she plays in the advertisement. Product creators expect consumers to buy the product simply based on the woman's beauty and the positive connotation associated with it. In commercials featuring male models, however, a connection between the product and some type of action regarding that product has typically been made. For instance, a male model might be carrying a brief case or looking at a PDA to signify business in an advertisement for business flights or a business service center. Recreation advertisements generally show men playing a sport or engaging with family in a conversation or activity. Male models used as simply object of beauty in the advertisement industry were difficult to find -- until now. Before, the fact that male models were not used for their looks alone may have protected men from some of the pressures that women have felt regarding their bodies. Because males were typically depicted as participating in some sort of action, men viewing advertisements most likely saw the action as superior to the men's looks, suggesting pressure to excel at professions, sports, or family life, instead of pressure to perfect their bodies.

In advertisements featuring men today, however, it is clear that men are being used solely for their looks. There is no clearer testimony to this than the following billboard advertisement for clothing brand Abercrombie and Fitch ("Billboards Archives"):

On this billboard, the male model displays his chest and has his hands positioned in an almost sexual posture suggesting that his body is otherwise perfected. The fact that his head is cut out of the picture leaves no room for argument as to whether or not this is an advertisement that uses the make model to suggest beauty or physical aesthetics alone. Clearly, the model is featured in order to encourage consumers to buy Abercrombie and Fitch Brand clothes, suggesting that it is the clothes that can make a person as attractive as this model. Another Abercrombie and Fitch advertisement contains a similar implication ("Abercrombie Ad"):

In this photograph, the men are depicted in an action, but it is clearly an action that accents their physical qualities -- strength, well toned chest muscles, strong arms, and proportioned posteriors. Thus, both of these advertisements suggest a trend change in advertising. Now, it is not just women, but also men who are being viewed as objects of erotic gaze. Their bodies are being used to sell products, just like women's have been for years.