Sports fans may think that this is old news, but I saw it for the first time this afternoon, and this really makes me mad.
In 1999, Jean Kilbourne published her now famous book Can't Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think And Feel. In it, she outlines her observations of advertising's images of women. If you haven't read it, please take the time to watch this 34-minute lecture during which the author outlines her central thesis:
This beer commercial is an example of what Kilbourne would call "advertising and violence" since sex in advertising is more about disconnection and distance than connection and closeness. The ad dehumanizes and objectifies women and it fetishizes its product.
This commercial reduces women to mindless robotic subjects of men's fantasy and transforms our wombs into refrigerators.
And, if anyone STILL doesn't think that this stuff as a real, measurable effect on the way we think and feel, think again.
8 comments:
I LOVE HER. we got to watch several of her videos in a gender, racism and prejudice class i took at the new school.
i think again every time i see an ad.
i'll have to watch the other vid when i get to a different computer.
An "unfair playing field" has been created through advertising, and the beer commercial has degraded women to so many just by its existence. Thank you so much for making me and others (who take so much for granted) aware of it.
The 2nd vid didn't play for me.
That commercial was pretty sick to me too.
I did read the cnn article. That's just as upsetting. What I did find amusing was the line, "(Some children didn't taste all the foods.)"
Yeah. No kidding. I've spent 3 days trying to get Lil Joe to eat more than a few bites. Fussy is his middle name apparently. And I thought it was Richard.
Peace.
Supergirl - The video is worth it. It will be here when you're ready.
Mrs. R. - I love you! It means so much to me that you came by and took the time to comment on this post.
human - Thanks for the heads up. I fixed the video and it should play for you now.
Peace, my friend.
Hi again. I pre empted you :)
I put in the search "Jean Kilbourne"
on google video and found it.('ain't I bright? ;) I just finished it.
Jean put forth a great presentation.That "Put some weight on" ad was really fu***** sickening. I spent some time in and I'd say about half of the female pop was anorexic/bulimic. All were very destructive to themselves in other ways too.
While I make no apologies that I like to look at what I deem pretty women, the debasement found in such ads really debases us all.
This type of mind programming is even more dreadful when aimed at children. What ever happened to let kids be kids?
I think she could include a lot of material from the "reality" tv shows. The one where some jerk named "Mystery" "trains" young men(deemed losers because they have not had sex) to "hookup" with women turns my stomach. As does that "Rock of Love". I'd like to kick that old has been in the teeth.(I wouldn't do it. I'm just saying.)
Maybe I'm getting old and my testosterone level is decreasing, and or maybe because I have a huge investment in the future(Lil Joe doncha you know) but I must say not too long ago I would not of even much listened to all this, except to retort "stop yer whining" or something like that.
I think her closer of (paraphrase)
"We need to learn to be good Citizens(always cap that folks) instead of good consumers" is a bit of advice that goes along way in many areas.
Oops I forgot. We've been ordered by the Glorious Leader to go Shopping. Please don't report me.
Peace.
Oh and I just checked and it does play properly now.
Peace
Thank you! I absolutely LOATHE that commercial.
There is a bit of irony that I paused Ugly Betty to watch this - and intend to watch Nip/Tuck after that. I suppose I better plan on ER later tonight.
It made me think of something almost no one asks - what of the person who was born to be single - who will be their best single - who will never get to really know them self unless they live alone. While this is not the majority, or how would we repopulate - I wonder if true self-knowledge might be more accessible to some when alone.
Secondly I remember my handsome older brother telling me upon my leaving for college - "Don't be afraid, all the cool guys know that the pretty girl is stupid and the fat one with her is the fun one - so just find a pretty girl to go to the bars with." Too bad I didn't know I was lesbian for 18 more years - that would have really been funny.
And so the question remains, the question that calls to be asked, what is healthy, what is well being, what is the opposite of this toxic representation of women? My answer is that we do not know. I want to know.
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