Bordo describes how advertisements can use biased and outdated gender roles to market their products. These ads end up “stabilizing” or reinforcing antiquated views of the role that women play in society. Many of the messages contained in these advertisements are nearly subliminal in that the viewer on a subconscious level with just a casual glance can perceive them. Bordo even suggests that these advertisements, which “stabilize”, not only reinforce but also may perpetuate the biased themes that are presented. In the “Men Eat and Woman Prepare” section of Bordo’s essay examples are given of advertisements which stabilize the role of women as the food preparers who are meant to provide and serve food to a male whose role is to consume it. Bordo shows an adverti

During my search I also found advertisements that used the vulnerabilities of males to sell their product. One ad from GQ magazine for Ralph Lauren Romance fragrances shows a young man and woman with “ideal bodies” looking at each other in a rather sensual manner while embracing. The advertisement tells its audience that they should have the “ideal” male body (which in this case consists of six-pack abs, large biceps and long flowing hair) as well as their product if they want to attract the “ideal” mate. The second advertisement was an internet popup ad for Hair Genesis a men’s hair growth product. This is probably one of most far-reaching and exploited insecurities among men. Despite the fact that many people find balding men to be just as attractive as those with their hair, advertisers continue to show male pattern baldness as something to be ashamed of and embarrass them.

However true Bordo’s argument may be, there were two examples of advertisements she used which I believe contradicted her. In an advertisement for “Post Fruit & Fibre” cereal a man is shown devouring his breakfast with a hearty grin upon his mug. Bordo claims that the advertisement uses a male subject because the use of a female would be seen as “disgusting and transgressive.” Here Bordo is suggesting that men are being used to displace women in these advertisements despite the fact that they are the true target audience. However, it would also be reasonable to say the target audience is men. Post Cereal may just be trying to convince men that it is acceptable to eat and enjoy something healthy for breakfast. After all, a nutritious cereal such as “Post Fruit and Fibre” is quite a departure from a traditionally male breakfast like eggs, bacon, and sausage. It seems Bordo could have been reading into the advertisement too much in an attempt to find evidence of gender bias.

Another insecurity that companies marketing a product seek to exploit is a woman’s need for efficiency and control in her life. Women often rely on familiar things in life for an escape from every day dilemmas. Advertisers have taken advantage of this need by promising that their products will give women the control that they seek. Bordo shows us two clear examples of this in her essay. One appears in a Maybelline Perfect Pen eyeliner advertisement in which the captions read, “Control your line.” “Right where you want em.” The word “line” can easily be mistaken for life in thi

Some topics in this essay:
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