In each culture there is usually a definite gender construction, which provides a picture that men and women look upon, shaping their own bodies to match it in order to fit into society. Advertisements use this knowledge to manipulate our minds by telling consumers that in order to be a part of society one must use a certain product or act a certain way to be successful and desirable. In many circumstances, I believe, that those who control what is the desired body image, are superior in the specific culture because those with money and power are the ones who provide all the necessary means to acquire this appearance. As the mass media are growing, so are advertisements. The consumers need to be careful because every time they are exposed to advertising, they must keep in mind that the advertising messages are designed to convince them to buy the product. It is important to question what one has learned from the ad and learn to see things the way they are.
The Old Spice ad defines the body image by idolizing a specific figure, and choosing to believe in anything that doesn’t adhere to it is not proper. The ad portrays an attractive young male actor talking rapidly to the women in the audience going through a series of fantasy scenes and ending it with a funny line. The male model uses clever comments and fast-paced lines to grab the audience’s attention. The purpose of the actor is to situate himself as a role model for all men because it is the cultural norm for men in our society to look well-built and strong. The commercial promotes its product by manipulating both men and women audience to the idea that by buying Old Spice products the man will become manlier just like the model. “Encouraging viewers to strive to be more like the character in the [ad] is exactly how advertisers persuade viewers to accept their stories, build audience affinity for the ads’ underlying messages and encourage consumes to purchase the products or services” (Sterin, 244).
The ad uses a smart social media strategy by posting the video on YouTube where millions of people from around the world come to check out videos everyday. The video is very short and it has 35 million views right now. The use of the YouTube medium has also made it possible for audiences to comment on the video and talk about what they like and do not like. Furthermore, the Old Spice actor responds back directly on YouTube which allows him to connect with the consumers. The consumers feel connected to the character that the actor plays therefore the advertising company will have someone on YouTube responding back to the viewers. This sort of manipulation is not direct but by talking to the consumers and finding out what they prefer and do not prefer allows the advertising company to make better ads next time to attract more buyers. In the end, ads are a way of making people feel that what they are selling is what we need to feel good about ourselves and to better ourselves. Therefore, it is important for us to understand what the underlying message is in the ads we see on our daily lives.
