I wanted to focus on the notions of masculinity and femininity – and along that line – the sexism used in advertising. In the middle of the century, it was rampant. Here’s an ad that’s a perfect vintage example of this:
But today is 2010. We would never see such blatant sexism in ads. Take for example the refined car manufacturer, BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke / Bavarian Motor Works). Such a reputable company would never stoop to such blatant sexism in ads today. No… Wait… They do:
("You know you're not the first")
Ads such as this create myths and stereotypes about their products. Indicating the myths that men are better drivers or that women are attracted to guys with ‘Beemers’ is pretty ridiculous, yet there are those out there that still run with such stereotypes. Attend any auto show and my point here is reinforced, as you will often see scantily clad women draped over vehicles. I consider myself a motoring enthusiast. I personally don’t appreciate it when I want to talk about a car’s performance and style with a dealer’s associate at an auto show, that I have to first bypass such stereotypes. I like cars, for the car. Never because I think a woman would like me or less for the vehicle I drive.
When I try to look at this from a female perspective, I can’t even begin to imagine how such ads can soil a company’s reputation with perspective female consumers. I think any woman would be insulted, if not outraged, by the ads above.
This is evident in nearly every product. I think advertisers understand that women are conservative spenders and so they aim almost every product toward men who spend more than women. That spending may be outlandish but the advertisers win.
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