Advertising has been used to market and attract audiences in regards to brand new ideas or products. Various approaches have been utilised in the many different commercials that have been broadcasted or printed. This is exemplified by O'barr, W. M. (2005) who stated that "long before America was colonized, commerce flourished in the Old World where various methods were used to promote trade. Notice boards placed outside houses indicated what could be had within. Wine sellers gave free samples in the streets. And actors paraded in the streets attempting to entice onlookers into theatres."
In this case, through the article "Time to Kick Sexism Out of Advertising", we could see that the advertising industry has now moved on to using sexism as a form of attraction instead of the product or service itself. From this, it was stated that the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) acts as the independent regulator of the industry in the United Kingdom where they have written and enforced rules and regulations on particular ads regarding this issue. The two committees working under the agency are known as the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP). Also, the ASA council is a jury of some 15 members comprising of six women who regulates whether ads have breached the advertising codes. Presently, the existing laws remain in force and there were new advertising codes launched in March and will take immediate effect from the 1st of September 2010. In context to this, these new codes are based on the principles that all ads should be "legal, decent, honest and thruthful". Because of this, this issue is being observed and for it to be overcome, it was advised that women should complain to the ASA in cases of ads being inappropriate in their eyes.
The debate regarding sexism in advertising will always go on as it effects the public's female genre negatively. As stated by Sadiq, S. (1997), "Watching a football game, you can usually find an attractive young lady being swept off her feet by a less than attractive man after he opens the beer of his choice.
Or, if you are lucky, you can witness several young women materialize on a desert island with the male drinker after, of course, he opens his can of beer. These advertisements present women as a goal, a trophy if you will, that can only be attained with the proper beverage. These women seldom have anything to say besides "Yes," making them seem like unintelligent sex objects. Unfortunately, the exploitation does not stop with women." This is also supported by Cortese (2008) who stated that advertising has a great deal to say about gender identity and they have used visual images of men and women to grab the audiences attention and persuade.
Hence, the use of the models to sell products have been implemented heavily now as it attracts the audience regardless of the issue in context to sexism.
Reference
O'barr, W. M. 2005, "A Brief History of Advertising in America", [Online], viewed 13 November 2010, (http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/asr/v006/6.3unit02.html).
Sadiq, S. 1997, "Delta Winds : A Magazine of Students Essay - Racism and Sexism in Advertising", [Online] Delta College.edu,viewed 12 November 2010, (http://www.deltacollege.edu/org/deltawinds/DWOnline97/racismandsexisminads.html).
Cortese, A.J 2008, "Images of Women and Minorities in Advertising : Chapter 3 - Constructed Bodies, Deconstructing Ads : Sexism in Advertising", UniSA Library, [Online] viewed 12 November 2010, (http://www.netlibrary.com.ezlibproxy.unisa.edu.au/Reader/).
No comments:
Post a Comment