Hunger as Ideology

Gender role in advertising has been the main theme of 20th Century's World Advertising. It seems like all we see these days are advertising, which use the human body and sexuality to sell all kinds of products. The advertising for ideology in regards to the concept of gender role is virtually to attract the attention from audiences because ideology in advertising could give a clear direction to the people.

The gender role could be found in many cases of food advertisements, which implies different gender for different food. "Something else with great taste. Get some Balance in your life". This advertising is not quite different to any other chocolate advertising because it gives a visual image of taste. However, in this advertising, you could feel the product has been made for only women because it simply shows many women. There is no visual image that women are eating chocolate bar. All women in this ad show good shape of body. This ad give specific imagery that chocolate bar will make your body be in good shape. The copywriter says" And Balance Nutrition Bars it will help you look good in whatever you wear." This ad gives clear image what women's body should be. In the article, "Get some balance in your life." I wonder what correlation between a chocolate bar and a life is. I think this ad is deeply related with women's satisfaction is coming from balancing women's body shape rather than enjoying taste of chocolate bar. Balancing body shape becomes the main purpose in this ad. This ad gives some kinds of pressure to women to follow gender role as a female. The chocolate bar is more likely medicine rather than food. Women have to eat Balance Nutrition Bar (chocolate bar) in order to be looking good. By the way, women have to control their body in order to gain confidence, which will bring satisfaction into their life.

Gender role of male in advertisements has somewhat different from female. The difference is that men should be powerful, aggressive and cool in order to show men's gender. Lucky strike (cigarette) shows typical gender role of male. A man is standing on middle of cross walk and two women are behind him. Upper part of left area on the ad, there is article " Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health." Usually, Surgeon General 's warning are printed in the bottom in cigarette ad. This ad could emphasize the challenge against the risk of health, which make men become hero or powerful guys who don't fear of lung cancer. It just like a stuntman who must show something that other people cannot do. The question has sometimes been asked, is there a macho-man stereotype plaguing today's man? an invisible boundary keeping men back, forcing them to conform with society's expectation. This is a very difficult question to answer because many people may have many different answers. But in essence, it is almost a set of rules males are expected to abide by. These rules can change from generation to generation, but in today's society mainly focus on two main issues, male dominance in the work places and their expected physical statures. The macho-man myth is a stereotype and therefore is the expectations of society. The origins of stereotypes, especially the macho-man myth has evolved from the beginning of basic society. Males were the aggressive hunters and warriors of most civilized society. The women made food and clothing for the tribe. How our ancestors decided which gender plays which role is unknown, but I think that males are biologically more aggressive may play a factor. These role were then passed down generation after generation, until it reached our parents, the people who shaped and molded our ideology and stereotype. But why? why are male pressured into acting the macho way they do. Because of society and society's expects. Stereotype are built and reinforced by our own society. I believed that macho-man stereotype is a part of today's society. There are noticeable hints of male stereotype in every aspect of society. One of the evidence proving existence of macho-man stereotype is media (Ad), which plays a large role in advocating the macho-man stereotype. Because media has become such a large part of our society it is impossible for any single person not to be influenced by the power of media.

In many cases, advertising in gender role uses sexual image to grab the attention of many people. Sexual appeal may be displayed by using naked bodies, illustrative emphasis on attractive body parts, and romantic or intimate movements, which people want to have. The image of sexual feeling lead an audience to believe certain role of gender, which make people to buy a products. The advertising "Politically correct by day. Bacardi by night" grab attention from its viewer by using sexual image and breaking territory of men's authority. In this ad, it is obvious that the advertiser is trying to appeal to the fashion conscious woman in her 20's or 30's with a moderately high-income level who could spend thousand dollars for the sake of being noticed from every man. This ad gives clear image that the women is placed in a high-class level, which most people want to be in. This ad is bending the traditional stereotype of gender role. The woman is financially independent from men and she doesn't seem to be belonged to anyone. This ad has powerful impact to grab attention from audiences because everyone could notice that gender role in this ad works oppositely.