Analyzing Images: Advertisements Appealing to Men and Women

I chose to analyze two car ads: one from a women’s magazine, Cosmopolitan and one from Maxim, a men’s magazine. My first ad is from Cosmopolitan for certified pre-owned cars from Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury. The background of the ad is a pinkish to light purple shade. At the top in bold print, it reads: “What if everything in life came with a 115-point inspection?”. Below, there is a large picture of a diamond ring centered in the page with 17 questions printed around it such as: “Are there any strings attached?”, “How much is the insurance?”, and “Should I include it in the prenup?”. At the bottom of the ad, it states: “Before we certify any Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury pre-owned vehicle, it must first pass a rigorous point-by-point exam … So, get peace of mind. And get driving”. The ad from Maxim is a 2 page ad for the Ford F-150. On the first page, there is a picture of an average, rough-looking, and attractive man. He is wearing a t-shirt and denim jacket. In large text is the word “sandwiched” printed just over his torso. The text reads as follows in smaller font after “sandwiched”: “between a cement mixer and a semi. Never saw it coming. 47-car pileup in Nevada. After they separated everything, he drove himself home”. On the opposite page is a picture of a black Ford F-150 with this text: “The three most important things in a truck: Frame. Frame. Frame. Ours is the strongest. Gamble in Vegas. Not in your truck”. The above the truck is the Ford logo between “Built Tough”, and also the words “Bold Moves” in large text below that.

The ad in Cosmopolitan uses humor to try to connect with women by comparing the inspection they use on used cars to some of the thoughts that go through women’s heads when they receive an engagement ring. They try to move away from the typical imagery of a car advertisement with a car steering around a winding highway, or a truck or SUV out in the wilderness. This car advertisement actually contains no pictures of anything related to cars or driving. The pink background is also quite different from something you would expect from a used car advertisement. They restrict all of the actual car information and logos to the very bottom of the ad so that I actually did not realize it was a car advertisement at first. The ad seems to fit in nicely with the rest of the flow and style of the magazine and other ads so that they can “trick” women into wanting to read and learn more about their used cars and what these companies have to offer.

The ad in Maxim uses an average, young-looking man to try to connect with the average reader of the magazine and try to make an emotional appeal to them. The enlarged text “Sandwiched” draws the reader in so that they want to read more about what happened to this man. They try to use the safety and strength of their truck to appeal to the consumer. The man looks healthy and active, and the reader does not expect to read that he has previously been in a massive 47-car pileup. There is a reassuring sense of calm when you look at the healthy man and the bold, beautiful truck. The ad allows the reader to think that they can go out and have a good time without having to worry about their safety. It gives you the sense that Ford trucks are dependable, and that you do not have to worry if it will make it from point A to point B. You are left with more time to relax and enjoy your time. If this man’s truck made it through a 47-car pileup and allowed him to drive home in it afterwards, it gives the consumer a sense that it will last through most of the accidents they might get involved in, in their own daily driving.

Each of the ads focuses on different values that people can place on cars. The ad from Cosmopolitan appeals to emotion and the sentimental value that women attach to objects. Many women consider an engagement ring a serious investment in their future. Additionally, the importance of this event to women is illustrated by the many questions surrounding the ring. It is also interesting that none of the questions around the ring are about the actual monetary value or quality of the ring. The ad suggests that women are primarily interested in what the ring means in a larger, social context: “Will it make my girlfriends jealous?” and “Will guys ignore me now?”. They want women to consider a car an investment in their lives and hope they will think about what the car would say about them in the same sense as a ring.

The advertiser seems to think that women are interested in what they and others feel about the product, and how it will make them look to others, whereas the ad targeted towards men in Maxim focuses on the strength and safety of the product. Men tend to value strength and quality over appearance or how the product may contribute to their image. The ad focuses on the practical benefits of the truck, because men probably are not going to think about what emotional value the truck will hold for them. Also, the truck pictures an average, rough-looking guy opposite the truck, which looks plain black without any frills. Ford is not selling luxury or aesthetic in this ad. They are appealing to men, who want the strongest quality they can get for the price. The ad also suggests that men are willing to take risks. It focuses on the danger they may encounter in life or on the road. The ad does not focus on a variety of safety features that come with the truck. In fact, it does not explicitly state that safety features are what saved the man’s life. Instead it focuses on the strength of the body of the truck, because men want something that can last and will measure up to the wear and tear they may put it through. Men are typically portrayed socially as being much rougher, and this ad is trying to appeal to that side of men.

These two ads show how advertisers can use the different values of men and women to appeal to their selected audience. The women’s ad used beauty, emotional investment, and social values to try to appeal to their audience. They believe women are attracted to products that can contribute to their sense of identity and the image they portray to others, whereas the men’s ad appealed to a male social identity as rough and strong. The emphasis was placed more on what the truck was capable of rather than what it could mean to the individual who purchased it. These ads show how advertisers can emphasize certain perceived values to the public as well as how they attempt to identify with and attract customers by appealing to their values.

Analyzing Images

I chose to analyze two car ads: one from a women’s magazine, Cosmopolitan and one from Maxim, a men’s magazine. My first ad is from Cosmopolitan for certified pre-owned cars from Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury. The background of the ad is a pinkish to light purple shade. At the top in bold print, it reads: “What if everything in life came with a 115-point inspection?”. Below, there is a large picture of a diamond ring centered in the page with 17 questions printed around it such as: “Are there any strings attached?”, “How much is the insurance?”, and “Should I include it in the prenup?”. At the bottom of the ad, it states: “Before we certify any Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury pre-owned vehicle, it must first pass a rigorous point-by-point exam … So, get peace of mind. And get driving”. The ad from Maxim is a 2 page ad for the Ford F-150. On the first page, there is a picture of an average, rough-looking, and attractive man. He is wearing a t-shirt and denim jacket. In large text is the word “sandwiched” printed just over his torso. The text reads as follows in smaller font after “sandwiched”: “between a cement mixer and a semi. Never saw it coming. 47-car pileup in Nevada. After they separated everything, he drove himself home”. On the opposite page is a picture of a black Ford F-150 with this text: “The three most important things in a truck: Frame. Frame. Frame. Ours is the strongest. Gamble in Vegas. Not in your truck”. Above the truck is the Ford logo between “Built Tough”, and also the words “Bold Moves” in large text below that.

The ad in Cosmopolitan uses humor to try to connect with women by comparing the inspection they use on used cars to some of the thoughts that go through women’s heads when they receive an engagement ring. They try to move away from the typical imagery of a car advertisement with a car steering around a winding highway, or a truck or SUV out in the wilderness. This car advertisement actually contains no pictures of anything related to cars or driving. The pink background is also quite different from something you would expect from a used car advertisement. They restrict all of the actual car information and logos to the very bottom of the ad so that I actually did not realize it was a car advertisement at first. The ad seems to fit in nicely with the rest of the flow and style of the magazine and other ads so that they can “trick” women into wanting to read and learn more about their used cars and what these companies have to offer.

The ad in Maxim uses an average, young-looking man to try to connect with the average reader of the magazine and try to make an emotional appeal to them. The enlarged text “Sandwiched” draws the reader in so that they want to read more about what happened to this man. They try to use the safety and strength of their truck to appeal to the consumer. The man looks healthy and active, and the reader does not expect to read that he has previously been in a massive 47-car pileup. There is a reassuring sense of calm when you look at the healthy man and the bold, beautiful truck. The ad allows the reader to think that they can go out and have a good time without having to worry about their safety. It gives you the sense that Ford trucks are dependable, and that you do not have to worry if it will make it from point A to point B. You are left with more time to relax and enjoy your time. If this man’s truck made it through a 47-car pileup and allowed him to drive home in it afterwards, it gives the consumer a sense that it will last through most of the accidents they might get involved in, in their own daily driving.

The Rhetoric of Clothes

In general, I typically do not think about the message I am sending to others with my clothes. I usually like to think that I pick clothes for comfort and also something that I think pleases me. However, I also try to choose clothes that are conservative and will not draw attention to myself. I would rather my clothes allow me to blend in with rather than stand out from a crowd. The message I send to my peers is probably more related to me not being particularly concerned with clothes and fashion. I probably look boring, conservative, introverted, and perhaps even slightly like a nerd. My type of style would probably be closest to preppy. Teachers and bosses probably see me as conservative and conscientious. My dress probably portrays that I care more about doing my job or school work than going out and having a good time.

A lot of what is portrayed in my clothing is the fact that I am a college student. I dress to walk around campus on hot days in Houston, and then also be able to go off to work at the college gym. Most of the time I expect to get dirty or sweaty by the time the day is through so I will dress casually. I also do not spend a lot of time with make up and hair for the same reason. This may cause me to look messy to peers or other authority figures; however, my sense of style and appearance just reflect my practicality.

"The Believing and Doubting Game" : Reality television is an important part of American culture

I believe that reality television is an important part of American culture, because it is both an expressive form of art and an important showcase for other parts of American culture. Reality television allows the culture of average Americans to be recorded and seen. Also, it seems to have an important influence on what a large number of Americans think, believe, and like. This influence is strongly seen in the youth culture of America. A large number of teenagers and college students have watched “The Real World” and other MTV reality shows since they were created, and it seems to have greatly influenced youth culture. Young people take an interest in seeing real people living their lives, and some even develop on emotional investment with the cast members. The enormous success of reality television speaks to the importance of it to American culture. Other forms of entertainment have developed from reality television, and its continued success seems to support the idea that it has filled a niche that Americans have taken an interest in.

Reality television is not an important part of American culture, because much of it has deteriorated to the point where it is not even a true expression of reality. It is now evident that much of what was believed to be reality television was actually scripted and edited to the point of nearly resembling a scripted show. Reality television can actually be detrimental to young people and even adults who take it too seriously, and look to reality television as something real that they can relate to. Many people find reality television to be a poor form of expression and something that should be removed from American culture. Cast members of reality television are typically poor role models, and their own lives are usually affected negatively by the portrayal of them on their show. Often producers use cast members just to make money and then leave them to pick up the pieces of their lives. Something that has such a negative effect on both cast members’ and viewers’ lives cannot be an important or positive part of American culture.