The first ad that I’ve picked is for The General car insurance. This insurance company is known for having low insurance rates and for accepting people who have multiple convictions on their driving record. Having said that, the company has decided to place a well-known African-American male basketball player in their ad whose name is Shaquille O’Neil. This definitely depicts a stereotype that is commonly held in The U.S.A. Many people in our country think that most male African-Americans are criminals and have terrible driving records because they are always committing crimes and being pulled over by the police. It is also a stereotype that African-American men are all good at basketball and enjoy playing basketball.
This ad is obviously meant for a specific audience of people. This ad is intended for low-income male African-Americans. The other stereotype being portrayed here is that most African-American men are considered low-income. This ad displays the image that African-American men need affordable car insurance because they have terrible driving records, are considered low-income, and enjoy playing basketball.
The second ad I’ve selected is for Skechers shoes, specifically, their “Go Walk” shoe line. These shoes appear to be light-weight shoes made for long walks. In this ad, there is a woman, appearing to be in her mid-thirties, who is displaying a walking motion and holding a yoga mat. There is a common stereotype that most suburban women attend yoga class and take walks in their neighborhood. The audience for this ad seems to be middle-aged women.
The most common stereotype that this reflects is that of the “soccer mom.” The “soccer mom” stereotype says that women are meant to drive their kids to sports practice, be physically fit and slim, go to yoga class, and be physically active by running either at the gym on the treadmill or on the sidewalk in a suburban neighborhood. This is a common stereotype in suburban America. Women are meant to stay beautiful for their husbands, while the husbands go to work for the family. In suburban America this lifestyle is considered normal.
Here is an ad for Mr.Clean which is a brand for multiple types of household cleaners and cleaning supplies. This particular ad is for Mr.Clean brand scrubbing pads. In the ad we see a woman happily cleaning and her daughter watching her clean. There is a common stereotype in the U.S.A that women are meant to do housework instead of having a career. The ad says “This Mother’s Day, get back to the job that really matters.” This ad is basically saying that women should consider their household duties as a job of great importance.
The message being sent by these types of ads is belittling to women. Of course there is nothing wrong with being a housewife, however if a woman should choose to aspire to having a successful career then she should not be viewed as a failure to her family. This is a very common stereotype in the U.S.A that has been around for over 100 years. Women are meant to stay at home, do housework, and care for the family, while the man goes to work and makes money for the family. I do feel that this stereotype is not as pronounced in our society as it once was, however it still remains in marketing strategies by many companies.
This is an ad for Allstate the insurance company. The ad says “Get Allstate and be better protected from mayhem like them.” The man in the image represents the concept of “mayhem” or in other words, damage to your car, house, or some other object you own that has insurance coverage. There is a common stereotype in the U.S.A that most men are impulsive, reckless, and enjoy getting in fights. The stereotype says most women are kind and nurturing while most men are mean and destructive.
This ad portrays men in a negative way. Comparing men to the idea of mayhem is saying that men are a main cause of destruction in the world. Throughout history, men have been the more physically dominant sex when compared to women. Men are usually portrayed in the media as being physically strong, dominant, and more reckless than women. This ad says men are reckless and, in a way, known for causing destruction of personal property.
This is an ad for “Diet Pepsi.” The ad says “The new skinny can.” There is a common stereotype when it comes to women that women are meant to be skinny. For a woman to be considered beautiful she has to be skinny. This ad is directed toward all women and it sends the message that drinking Diet Pepsi will make a woman thin. The woman in the ad appears to be thin and even the can is thinly shaped. This is an ad that is damaging toward women and the way they view their selves.
Ads that perpetuate the idea that women can only be beautiful if they are skinny is detrimental to a woman’s self-image, especially young girls. These types of ads can lead to destructive behaviors such as eating disorders. A woman’s self-esteem can be greatly reduced by these types of ads. This particular stereotype has been around for a long time, however it resonates in our society just as much as it always has.
Stereotypes 