"Group of Four" Project Proposal
Group of Four members
Gender Representations in Advertisements
We are looking to identify and analyze the difference in the ways that men and women, and more specifically masculinity and femininity, are represented within print advertisements appearing in magazines. Since a great deal of money is invested in such advertisements, we have decided to critically analyze gender representations in print media. This will be targeted towards the impact of such advertisements on today’s youth culture, and more specifically teenagers. The advertisements that will be studied will include those which target these specific niche audiences. In order to analyze said advertisements, we must first identify what criteria they must abide by—in other words, these ads are not arbitrary, they must have an identifiable youth target market. We will be analyzing 10 advertisements for the purpose of comparing and contrasting: 4 ads targeted towards women, 4 ads targeted towards men, and 2 ads targeting both audiences. Each individual will analyze 2 ads. The group will analyze the remaining 2 ads.
In order to carry out this task, we will use various critical theories to expose the inner-workings of what the advertisements are attempting to convey to their audiences. As well, we intend to focus on their psychological and cultural impacts they have on the target market audiences. The interest in this topic stems from the ubiquitous nature of advertisements.
Cultural and Social Forces
In order to identify the cultural and social forces at work, we will look at certain theories presented by different theorists and applications. We decided to look at feminist theory, which states that gender is socially constructed. In addition, since gender is viewed differently throughout different cultures, the construction of meaning depends on the beliefs and ideologies around those particular cultures. This construction of meaning takes place through semiotics as noted by several theorists (Marcel Danesi, Roland Barthes, and Saussure).
Media is responsible for constructing and reinforcing dominant ideologies (Michel Foucault, Antonio Gramsci, Walter Benjamin, David Gauntlett, Kirsten Pullen, Louis Althusser, Julia Kristeva), and from this, culture reproduces these ideas of socially acceptable norms. Since media is influencing the target audience (youth and teenagers), they come to believe the dominant ideologies and ideals that advertisers present within their ads. Theorists such as Marshall McLuhan and Neil Postman can support this idea.
Political and Economical Forces
There are several questions that we can explore regarding this topic and the political and economical forces at work. Some of these include the question of regulation. Are advertisements regulated? What are the government-imposed regulations? If there are regulations, can they be viewed as harsh, or not harsh enough? Also, since the youth, and specifically teenagers, are the target audience in this case, and the ones with the most buying power, they tend to become easy targets for advertisers and media producers. Known advertising strategies include need recognition, sexuality, sensation, and the use of reference groups (aspiration). Why do advertising companies get paid so much to make ads? There are many reasons for this, including the benefits to the consumers (i.e. the company paying for the advertisement) and gaining a competitive advantage. We will include a few case studies in order to illustrate how companies are successful in targeting an audience.
Applied Analysis
There are many alternatives to the advertisements available today. One of the better alternatives would be to use people that appear within advertisements who accurately reflect the general population. An example of this could be the Dove campaign on beauty (though this does have its faults within it, as can be explored using different theories). Another approach that could be seen as an alternative would be culture jamming (Naomi Klein). An example of this would be Adbusters, or the Billboard Liberation Front. Such groups (or subcultures) are devoted to exposing the ideologies behind advertisements and bring to the surface the different forces at work. Also, regulation comes into play; some ads must have the fine print, in order to avoid lawsuits.
Project Format
Our goal is to present the project using the format of a magazine. This will critically look at the issues discussed above, as well as counter the dominant ideologies that the advertisements convey. The basis for this format is to create something people would generally look at, but also to point out flaws in the medium that we are studying. This will promote critical awareness for the topics discussed above.
The magazine will include the ads along with critical analyses of the ads, similar to the “complementary copy” but in a more counteractive version. We will use typical magazine formats, including our own “Tips: How to be critical thinkers” and “Quiz: What stereotype are you?” We will also incorporate a puzzles page with a word search and a jumble. We hope to include “Letters to the Editor—Subverted edition.” Lastly, we will include several folded blank pages with single words on them which create a sentence when placed together.
Technically, we will be using Adobe InDesign and Photoshop to format and stylize our project.
Research Plan – Sources Consulted
There are several sources that have already been consulted and many more that will be consulted with regards to this topic. Within these, there are theories that we can use to explore and apply to the advertisements that we are analyzing. Some of these sources include:
Practices of Looking – Lisa Sturken and Nancy Cartwright
Critical Theory and The Construction of Identity – Fuery and Fuery
Web.Studies – Kirsten Pullen and David Gauntlett
Understanding Media Semiotics – Marcel Danesi
Journal of Sport and Social Issues – The Politics of Women’s Body Images and Practices: Foucault, the panopticon, and Shape magazine — Margaret C. Duncan
Men and Masculinities—Masculinity and Monstrosity – Klaus Rieser
Various articles from The New Media Reader
Mediascapes: New patterns in Canadian communication – Paul Attallah and Leslie Shade
Sex, Lies, and Advertising—Gloria Steinem
As well as several other articles online and in print.
Provisional Timeline and Work Breakdown:
Goal: To complete the project by Week 12.
Timeline:
Week 8: Each of us will have chosen an advertisement, and have related it to
certain theories and theorists.
Week 9-10: Group will meet for the beginning of the creative collaboration.
Week 11-12: Revisions, editing and final print of magazine.
Division of Responsibilities:
Each group member will be responsible for critiquing 2 advertisements and incorporating theory. We also thought it appropriate to incorporate a mini magazine structure, with editors, publisher, and journalists. In order to make our magazine seamless in terms of writing, we will be focusing on voice and language, which will be edited by our hypothetical editor.
Minal Pithia
Nabila Mohammed
Priti Shah
Sarah Khokhar
Gender Representations in Advertisements
We are looking to identify and analyze the difference in the ways that men and women, and more specifically masculinity and femininity, are represented within print advertisements appearing in magazines. Since a great deal of money is invested in such advertisements, we have decided to critically analyze gender representations in print media. This will be targeted towards the impact of such advertisements on today’s youth culture, and more specifically teenagers. The advertisements that will be studied will include those which target these specific niche audiences. In order to analyze said advertisements, we must first identify what criteria they must abide by—in other words, these ads are not arbitrary, they must have an identifiable youth target market. We will be analyzing 10 advertisements for the purpose of comparing and contrasting: 4 ads targeted towards women, 4 ads targeted towards men, and 2 ads targeting both audiences. Each individual will analyze 2 ads. The group will analyze the remaining 2 ads.
In order to carry out this task, we will use various critical theories to expose the inner-workings of what the advertisements are attempting to convey to their audiences. As well, we intend to focus on their psychological and cultural impacts they have on the target market audiences. The interest in this topic stems from the ubiquitous nature of advertisements.
Cultural and Social Forces
In order to identify the cultural and social forces at work, we will look at certain theories presented by different theorists and applications. We decided to look at feminist theory, which states that gender is socially constructed. In addition, since gender is viewed differently throughout different cultures, the construction of meaning depends on the beliefs and ideologies around those particular cultures. This construction of meaning takes place through semiotics as noted by several theorists (Marcel Danesi, Roland Barthes, and Saussure).
Media is responsible for constructing and reinforcing dominant ideologies (Michel Foucault, Antonio Gramsci, Walter Benjamin, David Gauntlett, Kirsten Pullen, Louis Althusser, Julia Kristeva), and from this, culture reproduces these ideas of socially acceptable norms. Since media is influencing the target audience (youth and teenagers), they come to believe the dominant ideologies and ideals that advertisers present within their ads. Theorists such as Marshall McLuhan and Neil Postman can support this idea.
Political and Economical Forces
There are several questions that we can explore regarding this topic and the political and economical forces at work. Some of these include the question of regulation. Are advertisements regulated? What are the government-imposed regulations? If there are regulations, can they be viewed as harsh, or not harsh enough? Also, since the youth, and specifically teenagers, are the target audience in this case, and the ones with the most buying power, they tend to become easy targets for advertisers and media producers. Known advertising strategies include need recognition, sexuality, sensation, and the use of reference groups (aspiration). Why do advertising companies get paid so much to make ads? There are many reasons for this, including the benefits to the consumers (i.e. the company paying for the advertisement) and gaining a competitive advantage. We will include a few case studies in order to illustrate how companies are successful in targeting an audience.
Applied Analysis
There are many alternatives to the advertisements available today. One of the better alternatives would be to use people that appear within advertisements who accurately reflect the general population. An example of this could be the Dove campaign on beauty (though this does have its faults within it, as can be explored using different theories). Another approach that could be seen as an alternative would be culture jamming (Naomi Klein). An example of this would be Adbusters, or the Billboard Liberation Front. Such groups (or subcultures) are devoted to exposing the ideologies behind advertisements and bring to the surface the different forces at work. Also, regulation comes into play; some ads must have the fine print, in order to avoid lawsuits.
Project Format
Our goal is to present the project using the format of a magazine. This will critically look at the issues discussed above, as well as counter the dominant ideologies that the advertisements convey. The basis for this format is to create something people would generally look at, but also to point out flaws in the medium that we are studying. This will promote critical awareness for the topics discussed above.
The magazine will include the ads along with critical analyses of the ads, similar to the “complementary copy” but in a more counteractive version. We will use typical magazine formats, including our own “Tips: How to be critical thinkers” and “Quiz: What stereotype are you?” We will also incorporate a puzzles page with a word search and a jumble. We hope to include “Letters to the Editor—Subverted edition.” Lastly, we will include several folded blank pages with single words on them which create a sentence when placed together.
Technically, we will be using Adobe InDesign and Photoshop to format and stylize our project.
Research Plan – Sources Consulted
There are several sources that have already been consulted and many more that will be consulted with regards to this topic. Within these, there are theories that we can use to explore and apply to the advertisements that we are analyzing. Some of these sources include:
Practices of Looking – Lisa Sturken and Nancy Cartwright
Critical Theory and The Construction of Identity – Fuery and Fuery
Web.Studies – Kirsten Pullen and David Gauntlett
Understanding Media Semiotics – Marcel Danesi
Journal of Sport and Social Issues – The Politics of Women’s Body Images and Practices: Foucault, the panopticon, and Shape magazine — Margaret C. Duncan
Men and Masculinities—Masculinity and Monstrosity – Klaus Rieser
Various articles from The New Media Reader
Mediascapes: New patterns in Canadian communication – Paul Attallah and Leslie Shade
Sex, Lies, and Advertising—Gloria Steinem
As well as several other articles online and in print.
Provisional Timeline and Work Breakdown:
Goal: To complete the project by Week 12.
Timeline:
Week 8: Each of us will have chosen an advertisement, and have related it to
certain theories and theorists.
Week 9-10: Group will meet for the beginning of the creative collaboration.
Week 11-12: Revisions, editing and final print of magazine.
Division of Responsibilities:
Each group member will be responsible for critiquing 2 advertisements and incorporating theory. We also thought it appropriate to incorporate a mini magazine structure, with editors, publisher, and journalists. In order to make our magazine seamless in terms of writing, we will be focusing on voice and language, which will be edited by our hypothetical editor.
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