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| Figure 1.1 |
Having been inspired by my
previous semi-serious analysis of the Viagra & Cialis commercials, I
decided to continue studying representations of masculinity in pharmaceutical
and over the counter medication ads. For
a recent conference presentation I decided to critique the print advertisements
for muscle building in magazines such as Men’s
Health and Muscle & Fitness.
I expected to find stereotypical depictions of masculinity since such are often
grounded in expectations concerning physical strength and appearance. The print imagery and advertisement blurbs
did not disappoint. The descriptions for
these products, almost always aimed at a male consumer, were often written in 2nd
person, telling the reader what to expect from their “exceptional”
products. For example, one ad
writes: “Prepare to exceed limitations
and ignite both body and mind.” Common
buzz words included: focus, intensity, domination, preparation,
power, and potency. Users were
encouraged to take these pills to “feed the fire,” experience a “blast of
energy,” to “push harder,” and become “sculpted and strong.” These products are needed, one ad claims, “because
big isn’t big enough.”
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| Figure 1.2 |
While this focus on strength and
bodily perfection is only to be expected by products aimed, in part, at body
builders, two somewhat surprising motifs surfaced, and yet another seemed
almost noticeably absent. One surprising
motif was the association of masculinity with animality. One product, “Beyond Raw’s,” description
reads: “The Best of the Beast: To truly become a monster, it takes monster
nutrition. Shatter your perception of
what is humanly possible by stacking these vicious formulas to build immense
muscle, defy limits, maximize training, destroy plateaus.” Another product, as hinted in its name,
“Paleo Protein,” happily advertises to “the modern day caveman.”
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| Figure 1.3 |
While I expected such depictions
of masculinity (as can be seen in figures 1.1 through 1.3), I also had expected
to find the male bodies in these vitamin supplement ads sexualized and this was
largely not the case – at least in an
overt way. The male body is certainly
the dominant subject of the print ads, with a focus almost always being on the
chest and abdomen, but this makes sense because of the ultimate result the
product promises.
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| Figure 1.4 |
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| Figure 1.5 |
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| Figure 1.6 |
However, the practice
of fragmenting the body, a common practice used when female bodies are
objectified, was shockingly regular.
When women’s bodies are fragmented in ways that allow them to become
sexual object, usually shots focusing on legs, breasts, and butts are
present. In the case of the male
fragmented body in these ads, it is most often the torso. (See figures 1.4 through 1.6).
The purposeful act of cutting off
the model’s head/face was quite interesting.
(This can be seen in figures 1.4, 1.6, 1.7, and 1.8). And when a complete male face is viewable,
the gaze is almost always averted.
Figures 1.3 and 1.6 are exceptions in this regard. In fact, Figure 1.6 is an exception on many
levels as it is the only advertisement for body building products I could find
that showed a man smiling. All others
showed the figures sporting more serious, even menacing, expressions.
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| Figure 1.7 |
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| Figure 1.9 |
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| Figure 1.8 |
When beginning this study I
expected to find the men in these ads more overtly sexualized, in scenarios
where they might be the obvious object of the female gaze, with female models
posed beside them. This was almost never
the case. Figure 1.7 was the only ad
that actually showcased females touching a male body, and this was not an
advertisement specifically for a vitamin supplement but rather a website
resource related to body building more generally. Figure 1.9 showcases both a male and a female
within the frame but they are not intended to be read as together (in the
relational sense or perhaps even in the sense of physical setting). And while the male model is looking down,
almost notably at the groin area, the female model’s own body is on display
and, therefore, his body does not seem to be the object of her particular
desire as she looks outward toward the camera rather than toward the side at
his space on the page.
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| Figure 1.10 |
Throughout the ads, there were
phrasing about “getting harder” and “big not being big enough,” and wording such
as “endurance” and “power” that at times read as double entendres. And some background imagery in the ads
allowed for them to be ready sexually.
An example would be Figure 1.8, the product “Hardcore,” and its use of
flame imagery – heat being often associated with sexuality. However, for the most part it was quite
obvious that intended viewer of these ads were men and perhaps that accounts
for the lack of direct sexualization of male bodies. It also may account for the sexualization of
the few female models shown in these ads (see figures 1.9 through 1.12).
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| Figure 1.11 |
The women in these ads were more
overtly sexualized, lifting items of clothing, posing more provocatively, and
directly engaging in the gaze (looking out at the viewer rather than away as
with most men). When the product itself
seemed to be marketed to both men and women, hence the use of both sexes in the
ad, the placement of certain advertising blurbs near the female was telling. While male blurbs continued to talk about the
effect of the drug (and sometimes the science behind it), the blurbs most
closely located near the female body often focused on less substantial
items. Some blurbs were flowery in
phrasing like “pure protein mastery” and others seemed to focus on something a
woman would like: the taste. Consider this blurb: which praised its “exceptional mixability” and
a “taste I couldn’t believe!” This
slight language shift when the product was to be consumed by a female (or both
females and males alike) is interesting and aligns with my previous findings
about how the audience of a pharmaceutical/over-the-counter medication ads
often impacts the narrative and gender depictions present within them.
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| Figure 1.12 |
Not sure if there is a major take
away from this study (as it was mostly done for fun), but as always advertisements
offer up an interesting snapshot into our normative depictions of gender.
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