Representation Analysis

    Representation in media is the different ways that companies use movies, commercials, and other things to portray men, women, ethnicities, cultures, etc.

    In the ad about Tide, a mother seated around a well organized and clean house talks directly to the audience, clearly disappointed in her daughter's dress sense. Dressed in pink, the mother has the traditional feminine traits and criticizes masculine traits in females, such as her young daughter. The child is shown wearing a cargo hoodie with shorts, typical male clothing. They are also building a car garage out of some toy blocks, and the mother is trying to hide her annoyance with a fake smile. The mother's clear dislike that her daughter is not engaging in societal female norms has a negative effect on any young girls watching the ad. They may think that it is somehow wrong to act or be different by having an interest in male traditions and attire. The ad is intended for middle-aged women who need a cleaning product.

    The Axe body spray commercial sends a misleading message to males. To men, the ad basically tells them that they have to buy something just so that they can get attention from girls. There is no message for women because they are seen more as objects than actual human beings. The target audience for the ad is for college-aged men who seek affection from women. The commercial itself depicts women in bikinis in what looks like a tropical island. They are covered in dirt and have an almost savage look, as they are fiercely looking for a man, which they find at the end spraying himself with Axe body spray. The hordes provocatively-dressed women gives off the idea that they should only be sexualized, and it does not help that many of the camera shots focus on their chest. They also give off unrealistic body expectations of women in society, which could have a negative mental impact on any girls who see the ad, as they could see themselves as unworthy or too ugly to be loved by a man.