Notes:
Hypermasculinity is defined as: a psychological term for the exaggeration of male stereotypical behaviour, such as an emphasis on physical strength, aggression, and sexuality.
Advertising in the 1950s-1980s often featured a hypermasculine representation of men – and some representations in the media today still continue this.
Joseph Gelfer, a director of masculinity research, suggests that the way masculinity is represented in advertising is changing. Looking at advertising over the last 20 years:
“Previously, masculinity was mostly presented in one of two ways: either a glamorous James Bond-style masculinity that attracted ‘the ladies’, or a buffoon-style masculinity that was firmly under the wifely thumb.
Thankfully, and somewhat belatedly, things are beginning to change.” (Gelfer, 2017)
Gelfer suggests there are five stages of masculinity – how people perceive and understand what it means to be a man.
Stage 1: “unconscious masculinity” – traditional view of men
Stage 2: “conscious masculinity” – as above but deliberate
Stage 3: “critical masculinities” – feminist; socially constructed
Stage 4: “multiple masculinities” – anyone can be anything
Stage 5: “beyond masculinities” – it doesn’t exist
Gelfer says advertisers need to think about how their target audience views men and masculinity when creating campaigns.
Score Advert
The Score hair cream advert is an historical artefact from 1967. It should be examined by considering its historical, social and cultural contexts, particularly as it relates to gender roles, sexuality and the historical context of advertising techniques.
Context: 1967 can be seen as a period of change in the UK with legislation on (and changing attitudes to) the role of women – and men – in society. Produced in the year of decriminalisation of homosexuality and three years before the 1970 Equal Pay Act, the representation of gender could be read as signalling more anxiety than might first appear. The reference to colonialist values can also be linked to social and cultural contexts of the ending of Empire.
-women surrounding him, reaching out as if he is superior to them
-man holding weapon - has power over the women
-women wearing revealing clothing - mulvey's male gaze - idea women are there to be appealing to men
-text reinforces idea of masculinity, repetition to suggest that the product isnt for women and is not feminine in any way
-male physically placed higher up - suggests dominance/superiority.
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