Gender and Advertising Research

Kinder Bueno White - Sexualising Men

The man in the advert is gardening, a sterotypically female activity. This subordinates him by giving him more feminine qualities. However, to retain his masculinity, he is dressed in a masculine way, as well as the actor being quite built. Although he is represented as being a sex object for the three women to watch, he is still the hero as he picks the girl up after she 'falls'. The other two females in the advert sit to watch him, showing that he is pandering to their 'female gaze'.

Hugo Boss - Positive Representation of Men

Usually in female perfume adverts, the women do not say anything. However, the man in this advert starts with dialogue. This shows his power over women. The advert is all CGI apart from the man, which represents him as being important because he is the only real thing and the rest of the mise-en-scene is built around him to be exactly how he wants it as it changes with him when he moves. There are two women in the advert. However, he doesn't look at them, but just leaves them to look at him, subordinating them. Everything goes into the bottle when he wants it to, showing his authority over everything, which is reinforced by the line "the rest is up to you".

Hugo XY XX - Post-feminst

The advert takes place in a boxing ring, and rather than there being two men or two women, there is one of each, showing that the woman is just as strong as the man. Although the woman in this advert is being sexualised, she still asserts her position as a strong and powerful woman. The first time that she is shown, she looks at the camera, showing that she has control. The man stands still while she circles him, almost like she is checking her prey. The advert is for two perfumes, one male and one female, but the woman in the advert is in the frame for a lot longer than the man, showing her importance. There is a medium close up of her legs, fetishising parts of her body. However, the duration of this shot is short and straight after it, she is seen pushing the man away, showing that although she is flirtatious, she is also poweful and assertive.