Do stereotypes sell?
Did you know we are exposed to about 500 advertisements on a daily basis? What's even more surprising is that we actually retain about 75 of them.
It's no unperceived fact to anyone that commercials ultimately convey and put out tons of implicit messages to us viewers and being bombarded with so many, these messages sometimes stick. Because that's their job, right?
On the contrary....
In the 2015 Chevy Colorado commercial, the question being brought to light is if the opinions of people about a guy be changed based on whether or not he drives a truck.
The commercial then goes to to say that they polled "real people" (as opposed to fake ones) to form focus groups and determine whether or not the statement above can be proved to be true.
Twelve interviewed groups almost unanimously agreed that men with trucks put off a sexier, more rugged and tougher look than the man with a regular, small car. But it didn't stop there. Oh, no. The commercial started to dig deeper than that, bringing up questions like "What kind of pet would these men have?" and "who would you rather have your daughter marry?" The end result was that the man with truck was not only cooler and sexier but also more dependable, more resourceful, and living a better life. One man claimed that he'd definitely want his daughter to marry the man with the truck because she'd be safe and protected.
Gender norms are more than obvious here, plainly stating that men with trucks are much cooler than men with regular cars, and that if you want to be a "real man" (whatever that means), you must drive a truck. As if masculinity is associated with the vehicle that you drive.
Freeman, a commercial marketer, stated that "Advertising doesn't just sell things, it articulates values and build meaning, sometimes through constructing stereotypes that simplify a complex trait such as gender." That does make sense. I guess any advertisement has to have a certain group they target their merchandise to in order to sell whatever it is. But I find that sometimes it goes a little too far. Then again, perhaps that can also be advertisers plan, to make it controversial so people talk about it.
In conclusion,
Do I find this commercial stereotypical? Yes
However, I wouldn't exactly say that it went too far or was particularly offensive. Maybe it's because I'm a girl and it's refreshing to finally see a commercial that doesn't stereotype girls. I'm not sure, but whatever the case:
"To the men who don't drive a truck — don't worry. Your girlfriends/wives aren't going to leave you just because you don't drive a truck."
Gender norms and stereotypes based on gender are still prevalent in society. Despite the effort displayed, both men and women are expected to abide by the stereotypes imposed upon them by the patriarchy. I particularly appreciated your stance on the controversy of this issue, as I too find it refreshing to see a commercial that doesn't stereotype women. However, I do not believe that this solves the problem that is derived in gender norms, not only with women. Men are also subject to this expectation of masculinity of which they must uphold, in order to remain 'a man'. This issue is presented in the commercial, as well, where the man's masculinity is questioned simply because of the car he drives. The fact that we still are expected to act to please others' ideas of gender is preposterous, and a flaw that as a society, we must amend.
ReplyDeleteGender norms and stereotypes based on gender are still prevalent in society. Despite the effort displayed, both men and women are expected to abide by the stereotypes imposed upon them by the patriarchy. I particularly appreciated your stance on the controversy of this issue, as I too find it refreshing to see a commercial that doesn't stereotype women. However, I do not believe that this solves the problem that is derived in gender norms, not only with women. Men are also subject to this expectation of masculinity of which they must uphold, in order to remain 'a man'. This issue is presented in the commercial, as well, where the man's masculinity is questioned simply because of the car he drives. The fact that we still are expected to act to please others' ideas of gender is preposterous, and a flaw that as a society, we must amend.
ReplyDelete