Monday, September 28, 2009

Images that "draw you in"
















This is typical advertising for Axe body spray and deodorant. I am sure we have all seen the commercials on television where a man sprays on a little Axe and all of a sudden the Women come in a stampede. I believe it interpellate’s Male viewers successfully, drawing them in with the hopes this is some “magic” spray that will help them score with chicks. Obviously the image of a seemingly sex crazed jungle Woman in a bikini, and another emphasizing only breasts would appeal to the targeted audience. I suppose as a Woman my interpretation of these images differ from that of a Man, but then again it does not really matter because I am not the potential consumer. I am mostly bothered by the implication that Women are some sort of sex crazed Animals that can be seduced by this sort of magic “pimp juice” (as my Brother calls it). Claiming a spray can appeal to Women is one thing, but why is it so necessary to over sexualize everything? Why cant they advertise this spray just getting a guy a date or a phone number from a decent Woman. I do see the humor in the whole thing, but even if it can be laughed at its still degrading.

5 comments:

  1. This post has an aspect of both being feminine and assertive. It makes your opinions seem more tangible and less forced; a very good combination which is admirable.

    I liked how informal you were with the mentioning of helping them score with chicks, and ofcorse the pimp juice. I've always thought it'd be funny if they made an axe for women, then the man sprays it on himself and gets tackled by "sex crazed animals" (men.) Do you think that advertisement would be as marketable? for that instance when was deoderant so homophobic?

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  2. Tina,
    I agree. Over sexualizing women, using them as objects, and degrading is not gaining points with women anywhere. Another point the advertisers have missed, who really buys the deoderants? Unless the male is single, on there own, and does there own shopping, which I suspect to be a low percentage, the women in their lifes are not buying this because of the image projected in the ads....
    Pat Kaehler.

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  3. Haha this is so true! Its weird how the media has decided its ok to make woman objects. It hasn't changed much has it. Its funny because when I saw the one with the girl in the woods, I just thought of a strong fighter woman who could kick any guys butt.

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  4. Great post. I agree with the previous comment by Tina, who really buys this stuff. It seems like they would want the women in the ads to be a little more appealing. All I know is that the lady I work with, her son uses Axe (I think he is 12) and it makes me want to run away, it really smells bad.

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  5. You're right! Those pesky Axe commecials do sway our beloved male viewers. Afterall, sex sells! The commercial usually contains young males being hounded by women, so, young male viwers can conceive that they themselves can too, just like their peers in the commercials, be prey to all those beautiful women.

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