Glamour_Is_the_State_of_Being_Envied

“Glamour is the state of being envied” John Berger Over the years the style and level of sexuality shown in advertisements has gone from a level of relative innocence to one where provocation and mature sexual themes has become an industry norm. In the last 20 years, we have seen the industry transform the way products are advertised to society based on how our culture is developing socially. Global influences such as mass communications and Internet technologies have provided venues to open how and what we communicate more freely than ever before. This exposure to mass amounts of information has created a de-sensitization towards the content and images we see through the thousands of advertisements seen daily. This paper will attempt to analyze how advertisers use “the gaze” to attract specific target audiences, why advertisers portray products and services in a more provocative and sexually explicit manner in their messaging today, why society is becoming more desensitized towards sexual advertisements, as well as review the different meanings associated with the nature of provocative messaging in materialist cultures, such as the UK with this tantalizing phenomenon. The analysis will use an example of advertisements from the 1960’s and a more current advertisement campaign released in 2002 from the multi-million dollar cosmetic and fashion line, Dior. The Gaze and Sex Appeal Throughout the centuries, images have been analyzed in depth to understand the meaning and message the artist is trying to portray to the audience. In the history of art, the female was looked at as an object; a passive figure in most images. Women were seen as sexual beings or maternal figures. In the 70's, feminist Laura Mulvey altered the theory by clearly stating that, "our viewing circumstances are influences by the psychic structures that make us into gendered subjects." [1] Women do not act in images or on film; they appear. Even in most advertisements today, women are positioned and clothed in certain ways to satisfy the "male gaze"; thus for male viewing pleasure. In art, men tend to be "in action" while the female is there simply for visual appeal. When one looks at an image, you see more than just the image itself: the viewer is seeing the relationship between the image (object/person) and themselves. Images are created so that a spectator can look at the object depicted. The ideology of image-ownership comes from oil-painting in Western Europe around the 17th century, when the male spectator wanted the artist to create something tasteful and pleasurable; most times, nude females. [2]This is where the "male gaze" comes in once again, when the image of a naked woman was passive, traditionally reclining on a chair or mattress, or gazing and admiring her own image in a mirror. When women are identified as "objects of desire", the male has a sense of power, possession and satisfaction. The "male gaze" is used excessively in advertising and it has shown to be very effective and influential. However, in recent years, artists as well as advertisers have begun to use the "male-gaze" to sell men's products that are aimed towards the male audience. To show further shifts in society, the creative forces are now also showing images of young males beginning to pose like women; being displayed as objects. Advertisements are now showing how the gaze is cross-gendered; men do not always act but also appear just like women. There were many debates in the 1980's on pornography with feminists seeing porn as demeaning and offensive to women, while others claiming it to be harmless and just a way of publicly revealing ones view on their sexuality. After many years of debating this particular subject, new forms of "the gaze" were established. "The gaze": demonstrating male power is now perceived differently in a way that is almost a counter-gaze. In the 21st century, the advertising market has recognized the opportunity to capture and persuade not only the male gender but all areas of our society. Dior is a great representation of “the cross-gendered gaze” since many of its advertisements have both the male and female figures acting and also appearing depending on the product they are trying to sell. The key message involved with advertising is that sex sells. Many promoters and artists still use sexual images as well as colors, accessories and make-up to attract attention. The industry has recognized the advertising opportunities (ie. Same sex and other diverse groups) as a result of our social and cultural changes and acceptance in the world. This has shifted “the gaze” depending on the target market. Production Background Christian Dior has engineered an incredible fashion line, which is well recognized for its high quality, creative and bold products that are aimed to appeal to a younger clientele. Dior was always interested in fashion and after many years of struggle has become one of the biggest, most recognizable and successful hits of the fashion world. This review will reference distinct advertising campaigns from two different eras to compare and contrast the Dior approach from the 1950’s to the present day. This will demonstrate how advertisements have not only evolved in production quality but also how style and body language has changed throughout the decades to be more provocative and explicit in sexual expression. Stephen Gundle shares his opinions on glamour and how it is “one of the most tantalizing and bewitching aspects of contemporary culture- but also one of the most elusive.”[3] As we explore the Dior campaigns, Gundle’s view on glamour and the depiction of women in images throughout history will come to use as we explore the evolution of the fashion industry. Advertisements and films are becoming more visually and verbally sexual. Micheal Foucault, well known for his studies on social institutions, stated that discourse defines and limits what can be said about a certain topic.[4] In this case, for example, in the 19th century no one would ever see someone discussing sexuality in a public setting. However, nowadays it is the complete opposite. This is largely due to a better understanding and level of acceptance about political, social and cultural issues and differences as a result of the availability of information on the web and television. Through our shifting societal values, largely tied to the technology revolution, with no limit to access sexually explicit material, our culture is more exposed than ever. We are less inhibited as a result of the availability of this material, and likely more desensitized to sexually oriented advertisement than ever before. The impact of these changes in society will be unfolding for years to come. In the last decade, clothing or the lack of has created a new world for what we call glamour. In these next two print ads by Dior, one from the mid 1950’s and the other from the 21st century, the differences will be compared and contrasted in the evolution of Dior’s marketing to continuously keep up with the newest trends. Dior Print Advertisement 1950’s The print ad used to depict the style of marketing products in the 1950’s is one that was taken in Paris in 1955. The model is Alla, a top Dior model who modeled many of Dior’s products during the era. The garment is a simple black cocktail dress, which shows one of the first pieces Dior created with a new low neckline and a high-waist accessory belt that “fastens with a fantasy button.”[5] The simple layout was consistent with his other images from the 1950’s with simple backgrounds showing either outdoor sceneries or neutral colors. “Models were mostly photographed in studios where they worked with photographers to create sophisticated and elaborately artificial images.” [6]Photo shoots became more popular outdoors because it imported realism and allowed fashion to “breathe the air of contemporary life.” For this particular print, the black dress, gloves and hair color stand out against the white background, likely to create a contrast in what may have been produced in black and white. This contrast draws the viewers’ eyes to the model in her sensuous pose pushing the boundaries of sexuality at that time (between a man and a woman) in the new fashion trend of the decade. The portrayal of females in photographic images during the 1960’s helped spur an evolution of femininity, glamour and allure as shown in Appendix A. Dior Addict “Admit It” Campaign 2002 The “Dior Addict” campaign released in 2002 targeted a younger audience between the ages of 18 and 35. Dior created the campaign to market their new fragrance “Dior Addict” as well as the new line of cosmetics, in particular the new shades of lipsticks. At first glance this print ad may be a little bit shocking to older generations, however to the youth of today, advertisements like the following is considered to be normal and appealing, given the constant exposure to such ads on-line and elsewhere. Unlike the simple layout of the 1950’s, which really aimed to provide visual appeal, this advertisement is complicated and attempts to inspire many of the viewers’ senses. The background and reflection from the window shows red writing, the color for passion and desire. The attempt to use color to express sexual desire is intimate and very effective in the ad campaign, which is likely why the print ad's main color is red. The make-up and hair are bold and the advertisement’s layout suggests a seductive manner portraying the notion that sex sells. The approach to clothing, or in this case the lack of clothing, is extremely eccentric and over the top, to display products that will catch the attention of the consumer at first glance. The model’s mouth is partially open with the impression that she is out of breath, to stimulate a sense of pleasure. The pearls of moisture on the models’ body almost makes you feel the sweat and reflects the sensation of a drug addict or “junkie” that needs their fix. Dior is trying to tie the viewer to the fragrance like an addict; you need this product because you’re an addict and you need more or you will begin to go through withdrawal just like an addict. The approach to advertising is meant to be a ‘page stopper’ for “the gaze”. The contrasts of color, the sexual connotation, the heat of passion, are all meant to draw immediate attention to the advertisement. Once attention is on the ad, the viewer will assess the product which the promoter hopes will leave an impression for the consumer. Many viewers might see fashion ads as being sexually immoral and demeaning towards women because of its' intense and extreme portrayal of women as objects; wearing little or no clothing. This is the notion of irrelevant sexualization where advertisers use women’s bodies in a sexual way to attract attention. It sells the idea that the only function of women is sexual or for the male-gaze (male satisfaction and pleasure) As stated earlier, ads are created to evoke desires and not to reflect reality. Using sexual innuendo to flatter the consumer has been popular since the 1970’s. The irony is that advertisements sell an unattainable highly constructed world that promises to be an attainable ideal. [7] The reality being, the fashion world whether through print or media is being created to appeal and influence the viewer, but does not in fact depict reality as no one truly has the perfect body, skin or hair. In analyzing the Dior “addict” campaign, as well as most of their other print ads, the viewer is drawn to the conclusion that they all contain very bold and vibrant colors. The ad is creative and the colors, design and focus all appeal to younger women between the ages of 18 and 35. Marketers must be able to persuade the viewer to believe that they need to buy their product. Like any organization, exposure to your client group is key. Proper exposure in the right medium, with the right tone and message, is crucial. The marketers are trying to sell not only the product but also a style of living to their audience. Since Dior has decided to aim their products towards a younger female market segment, it would be most appealing for their advertisements to be lively, energetic, colorful and bold to catch the attention of their consumers. If we look deeper into this campaign, the significance may be that everyone has a little bit of an addictive personality within themselves, pushing the notion that by purchasing the new Dior “Addict” perfume, you will satisfy your desires. This refers to functional equivalents, which are strategies of satisfaction that do not find any closure in the immediate world. This strategy is supported by the idea that “everyone has needs”. [8] These needs may not all be necessary but to keep the economy strong advertisers must manipulate the consumer to believe it will give them either social status or satisfaction of some kind. According to Herbert Marcuse, “false needs are defined as those that are superimposed upon the individual to aid repression and that perpetuate toil, aggressiveness, misery, and injustice.” [9]This means that the only true needs are for nourishment, housing and clothing. Therefore, advertisers create demand by creating false needs within audiences. Advertisements generate meaning through signs that tell the consumer a story. According to Jurgen Habermas, advertisers create images that rely on fetishism and myths. There will always be consumers that purchase on an impulse, for example: buying to temporarily satisfy an emotional release. In fact, Dior had significant controversy with the 2002 ad campaign described above. Advocates of various addiction supports protested against the campaign saying that it was irresponsible and unethical towards millions of people suffering from addiction. According to Ramstad (“Join Together”), an addiction program established in 1991 as “the nation's leading provider of information, strategic planning assistance, and leadership development for community-based efforts to advance effective alcohol and drug policy, prevention, and treatment” [10], the “addict” line of fragrances and cosmetics “shows a complete disregard for the millions of people who suffer from the disease of addiction and their families; the ultimate in corporate irresponsibility.” [11] After thousands of complaints, Dior decided to pull the campaign from the market, but not without benefiting financially from the controversy. Despite the controversy on the Dior Addict advertisements, in 2005, Dior ran a 2 week bus campaign for the “Addict” line and research showed that awareness of the brand increased by 300%; 63% of women remembered seeing the advertisements; and 52% of women were more likely to buy the brand having seen the advertisements which was even higher amongst a key target group of 18-24 at 68%. [12]Statistics show that even though the campaign had many complaints, people remembered the product because of its bold, vibrant, sexually appealing advertisements. This is because youth of today remember “sexy” images that leave an impression. The impact of the advertisement campaign was likely considered a huge success. Compare & Contrast Advertisements are designed to persuade the audience and are much more provocative than ever before. So much of our society is desensitized to sexual images. In this era, advertisers are constantly looking for new ways to communicate with youth, as we are a generation that sets trends with the greatest ability to be influenced by advertisements. The difference between youth now and 50 years ago is that we are not easily impressed. Advertising agencies realized this after much research and began to create new images and messages that would appeal to the youth of today. The main themes being: provocative and bold. Fifty years ago if advertisements were half as revealing and risqué as they are now, it would have been seen as inappropriate. During the 1960’s, around the same time the Dior print ad was released, the “social forces of feminism hit Madison Avenue.” [13] Feminists addressed the issues regarding inequality within the work forces as well as how society was constructed to believe that the sole purpose of woman was to be seen as housewives or sex objects, as men were dominating in the work force (business and politics). During WWII, women were able to enter the workforce to keep the economy stable while men were away at war. In 1944, Rosie the Riveter, a fictional icon for women, was created to depict women (sexy women) and sold them the idea that they were equal to men in society. As women began to join the work forces, it slowly caught the attention of many women that their role was not simply to start families and be housewives but also to make a difference in the world outside of the home. “They did not accept that they had to be pretty, sweet, and demure. This meant that women were no longer going to be influenced by the same advertising and promotional messages that may have motivated them a few years ago.”[14] I believe provocative ads are a great way to market to today’s generation. With Dior, the way their products are portrayed could be considered to be more classy and spicy than ‘over the top’. Advertisers need to constantly be aware of the fine line between provocative and ‘too provocative’. Classic beauty ads are provocative yet evoke the consumers’ sexuality in a manner that is seductive and appealing. In some materialist cultures such as the UK, society appears to have accepted that there are no boundaries on the level of appropriateness in advertisements. The type of advertising seen in appendix C and D, while not current practice in North America, will no doubt not be far behind. Images like these are already accessible to our culture through the use of the Internet. The degree of individuality and uniqueness of each culture is significantly reduced as a result of this new global network. [15] In North America, advertising is still considered to be highly sexual as well as violent but for the most part, remains tasteful. Current differences in advertising across cultures may one day be more similar than not; who knows what will inspire the next generation. Conclusion Even though advertising has come a long way in the last half century to keep up with the trends and socially constructed cultures, “advertising is far less sexually explicit than much of what people can readily find elsewhere in their lives – in films, in magazine features, on cable TV, and in literature.” [16] Dior along with every other successful business must understand how our youth is evolving at a quicker pace than ever before. If images become repetitive and predictable, they may be unimpressive to this generation. In order to remain competitive in the advertising industry, it is important to realize this shift in how we go about selling a product to such an unresponsive young culture. A series of interesting questions that is asked by the writers of “Sex in Advertising” is the following: “If today’s young generation of readers are less shocked by open sexuality than their grandparents’ coquettish suggestions, can culture be far from a time when any sexual inclination will be freely portrayed in advertising' Can we then see an end to representations of women as sexual objects, which traditionally has been the basis of sex in advertising' And will the next generation be unimpressed with sex as a selling point.” [17] I believe that these three questions reflect and possibly foreshadow how advertising will have to constantly evolve to draw interest in how we display products and services to a generation that is already bombarded with provocative sexual material to shock and engage the audience. [pic] ----------------------- [1] Sturken, Marita, and Cartwright, Lisa. Practices of Looking: an Introduction to Visual Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. [2] Sturken, Marita, and Cartwright, Lisa. Practices of Looking: an Introduction to Visual Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. [3] Gundle, Stephen. Glamour: A History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. [4] Sturken, Marita, and Cartwright, Lisa. Practices of Looking: an Introduction to Visual Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. [5] TopFoto. Gallery Package: Christian Dior. February 24, 1955. Retrieved on October 23rd, 2008. http://www.topfoto.co.uk/gallery/Dior/default.htm [6] Gundle, Stephen. Glamour: A History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. 280 [7] Sturken, Marita, and Cartwright, Lisa. Practices of Looking: an Introduction to Visual Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. [8] Leiss, William, Kline, Stephen, Jhally, Sut, and Botterill, Jacqueline. Social Communication In Advertising: consumption in the mediated marketplace. Third Edition. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. New York, 2003. [9] Leiss, William, Kline, Stephen, Jhally, Sut, and Botterill, Jacqueline. Social Communication In Advertising: consumption in the mediated marketplace. Third Edition. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. New York, 2003. 82-83 [10] Join Together, Ramstad. Ramstad Blasts Dior ‘Addict’ Ads. Join Together: Advancing Effective Alcohol and Drug Policy, Prevention and Treatment. November 15th, 2002 [11] Join Together, Ramstad. Ramstad Blasts Dior ‘Addict’ Ads. Join Together: Advancing Effective Alcohol and Drug Policy, Prevention and Treatment. November 15th, 2002 [12] Research Department. Dior Addict Case Study. CBS OUTDOOR. May 2005. [13] Reichert, Tom, and Lambiase Jacqueline. Sex in Advertising: Perspectives On The Erotic Appeal. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003. Chapter 3, pg 59 [14] Reichert, Tom, and Lambiase Jacqueline. Sex in Advertising: Perspectives On The Erotic Appeal. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003. Chapter 3, pg 59 [15] Zittrain, Jonathan. The Future of the Internet And How To Stop It. New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 2008. [16] Reichert, Tom, and Lambiase Jacqueline. Sex in Advertising: Perspectives On The Erotic Appeal. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003. Chapter 3, pg 61. [17] Reichert, Tom, and Lambiase Jacqueline. Sex in Advertising: Perspectives On The Erotic Appeal. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003. Chapter 3, pg 61.