Representation and Postmodern Advertising A source for many arguments comes from the way we want to do something. There seem to be numerous paths we as people can take to do something. In the world of IMC, there are two known paths to advertising, modern and postmodern. While modern advertising is presented as an authority figure with unquestionable knowledge, postmodern advertising is presented as an everyday person, an ally to the people, and sometimes self-deprecating (Cortese, 2016, p. 10).
With that in mind, I approached the task laid out by Dr. Roberts to find recent examples of postmodern advertising, while also analyzing the examples for Dyer defended stereotypes, with excitement, as much of what see today in the fashion world to be of a postmodern mind. Within this presentation, I drew upon ads published by Marc Jacobs that featured big names such as Lily Moss, Sabrina Carpenter, and recent Model of the Year winner Alex Consani modeling new bags being launched by the brand. Marc Jacobs is not trying to manipulate those who come into contact with the brand. We know that consumers are now more skeptical, cautious, savvy, and educated (Cortese, 2015, p. 10).
Within this presentation, I was also able to tackle defining and finding examples of the Culture Industry. Per Cortese, we know that the Culture Industry refers to the collection of entertainment industries dedicated to amusing the populace during their nonworking time (Cortese, 2015, p.7). Using Marc Jacobs, I was able to highlight that most of the brand's major ads feature pop culture icons, such as Tara Yummy, Lil Uzi Verts, Sza, and Kim Kardashian, a diverse range of famous people, all who represent differing and marginalized communities. From this, I was also able to make a leap and address the question of how the artifacts found either challenged or supported established stereotypes in any way.
Recreating the Codes of Gender
Tasked with furthering my understanding of ‘commercial realism’ and ‘codes of gender’, I first moved to collect three fashion advertisements that I believed would better help me achieve the task. All three ads came from the iconic fashion house of Versace (A brand that would become my muse for many projects). Throughout all three ads, I was able to analyze the rituals of gender display, which are not just confined to one area of advertising, as these rituals can be found in fashion ads, food ads, car ads, etc. From my analysis, I was able to find heavy traces of the feminine touch, the male grip, the Ritualization of Subordination, Licensed Withdrawal, and infantilization. After finding the rituals/codes being used, I was then tasked with recreating the images as a way to poke fun or strip away the normality of tropes and poses commonly forced upon women.
While the creation of the artifact mirrors what Goffman would call a ‘thought experiment’, the overall presentation acts as but a steppingstone in the long path that media audiences and activists have been walking in an attempt to showcase recognizable icons of masculinity and femininity and the damaging, overtly sexual, ways they represent both sexes. For example, From the ‘Codes of Gender,’ we know that this refers to how women are often depicted in advertising as being psychologically adrift, spaced-out, inattentive, unconscious, and unaware of their surrounding environment (Cortese, 2015, p. 40). This fact often leads to photographers aiming for a zoned-out look which to some looks cool, but to others can look like a lifeless victim, who is limp and pliable, giving in to whatever is happening around them, further fortifying a sexist belief that sees women taking a passive role to a mans more active, dominant role (Cortese, 2015, p. 40).