Q: To what extent does the representation of women in advertising reflect or challenge the identity of women

 

Image: The powerful contributor

 

I think the representation of women in both these images suggest women empowerment and the advocacy of women’s rights and equality in society.

Then: Women in prior times were often seen as objects of beauty and were less powerful than men. The figure in the poster both supports these attitudes of women at the time yet also contradicts it. The posture of the woman and her clothing is clearly criticising these attitudes as it shows the strength of the woman and her power – especially as the posture is predominantly depicted with the male figure. Her clothing resembles factory uniform and it does not reflect beauty. Instead, it shows the more hands-on and hard-working characteristics of the individual and it shows how women can be independent and achieve the same outcome as men. Despite these aspects, the woman is still wearing a face of makeup which indicates the importance of beauty at that time. It also shows how women can achieve the same as men in the workforce whilst still being feminine and that there should be no shameful association with femininity. The text is important in representing a community of women “We Can Do It!” as women at that time often fought for the rights as a community as a consequence of strong segregation of power asserted to men and women.

 

Now: This poster is directed to women feeling comfortable in their own skin and achieving things for themselves hence the text “make yourself proud”. In this poster, the figure is seen to be embracing her strength in a sport which is a sport that requires a lot of physical exertion. This contradicts the stereotype of women being weak and focuses on women discovering their individuality and becoming more independent, rather than fighting for women as a community. The woman no longer is wearing a face of makeup as she can embrace her individuality without any limitations and she is free to express herself through her clothing as well. She doesn’t have to feel restricted through fashion and can wear what best suits her activity. The text also encourages individuality as the font in which the word ‘proud’ is written in, is different from the font of the rest of the text. It almost looks handwritten which gives it a sense of connection to the individual as she strives towards her own goals.

 

The adverts are similar as they both are embracing the idea that women should be free to express themselves in whatever way they want and that they should not be restricted by the gender they were born into. Even though they both suggest female empowerment, the first image is more targeted towards equality for women and for them to be treated with respect whilst the second poster is more focused on embracing how all women can be unique in their own way. In the second representation of women, it conflicts traditional stereotypes of women however reflects a more modern understanding of the topic.

 

Power and dominance is the root of this topic as societal norms have predominantly been developed my males and women have not had a say throughout history. The concepts revolve around embracing their identity (initially, women were showing their power and femininity, whilst later one, women focused on embracing their individuality in whatever way they chose). This representation of women shows the progression throughout history for white females in western society. It does not include women in many parts of the world who may be living under different circumstances. It shows the change in the values of society and the change in attitudes towards the identity of women.