Score advert and wider reading

Score hair cream advert




Score hair cream advert: CSP context

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.

1) The advert was produced in 1967. The historical context is important because 1967 could be seen as a period of change in the UK with legislation on the role of women - and men - in society. It was produced in the year homosexuality became legal and 3 years before the 1970 Equal Pay Act. 

2) The mise en scene within this advert signifies that the advert is targeting men. They have used an unrealistic setting, which is jungle themed. This implies that the advert is meant to be a fantasy, almost escapism. The first aspect is the costumes they are wearing. The setting they have used in this advert is jungle themed, therefore they have dressed the actors according to this. We can see how the man is wearing safari clothes, which are khaki coloured, however the women are wearing high tops and skirts; they are semi-naked, the audience is exposed to their cleavage. This already objectifies the women. Also, they have used high-key lighting for exposing the setting. Additionally, they have used the actors in significant way. The fact that they have only used one man and several women denotes male dominance and patriarchy. The actors are positioned in a particular way- the man is being carried by the women, so is higher than them and the women are looking at him is a admiring way, which subordinates them. This ultimately shows male power over women and degrades women. In addition the actors look like they rule the jungle. This is significant because at that time because it is referring to colonist values which is linked to the ending of the empire. Also, the male looks predatory, which once again objectifies the women because it suggests to the audience that he can have a sexual relationship with each of them. Furthermore, they have used make-up to suggest to the audience that the air cream can give you anything you want, you will be successful in your sexual life with women. However, the make-up could also suggest that the African male need to use this to be successful like the white male people. In terms of props they have used a lot. First of all, the use of the plants are there to make up the jungle setting. The use of the gun is very significant because it can have several meanings. One interpretation could be that he is the predator, so the gun means power. Another interpretation could imply the object as sexual, a phallic symbol. This parallels with how the women are semi-naked, so it amplifies how using this hair cream allows the man to have sex with all the women and gives the men voyeursteric pleasure. This links to the idea of hyper-masculinity, the male fantasy of desirability and success. 

3) The slogan 'Get what you've always wanted' uses direct mode of address. This suggests that it is targeting the male audience and lure them into buying the product. This slogan also denotes the idea of hyper masculinity, the male fantasy of desirability and success and anchors the meaning.  This links to historical context because it portrays patriarchy and how the purpose of a women was to look good and only to have sex with.

4) It is significant that the advert text says it is 'made by men' because it shows how only a man would know what a man wants and gives the male target audience reassurance of what they buy because it's masculine. It also puts pressure on men to be more masculine and like other men. It is also significant because it contains 'Score's famous masculine scent' because it suggests that this is the only hair cream which you can get anything with and always be masculine because you can have a successful sexual life.

5) The representation of sexuality that can be found in the advert is significant. The women are objectified with their purpose only being sexual and giving pleasure to the males. 

6) The advert reflects representations of masculinity in advertising 50 years ago because it shows how the male is dominant over the females and therefore able to own them. This links to historical context because women were seen as their husbands properties. 

7) The representations of masculinity in adverting has changed significantly. This is because there is equality in the view that men are now being more sexualised than before, which links to the 'female gaze'. Additionally, there are adverts that promote homosexuality, gay men in adverts which were frowned upon then but now seen as the norm.

The Drum: This Boy Can article

1) The writer suggests that we may face a "growing boy crisis" because we are empowering the wrong sex. The writer suggests that we are less equipped with issues which affect boys and that there is a unconscious bias that males should simply 'man up' and deal with any crisis of confidence themselves.

2) The Axe/Lynx has changed its marketing to present a different representation of masculinity as they present a more diverse definition of what it means to be a 'successful' man and to relive their pressure. This led to the step-change 'Find Your Magic' campaign from the former bad boy brand.

3) The campaigner David Brockway suggests advertisers 'totally reinvent gender constructs'. This implies that he dare to paint a world where boys like pink, don't like going out and getting dirty, or aren't career ambitious.

4) Changes in family and society altered how brands are targeting their products because they use stereotypical element.  "As Miller says, the definition of “family” in places like Britain is profoundly changing – but advertising is not helping to normalise different scenarios by largely failing to portray this new normal."

5) Fernando Desouches, Axe/Lynx global brand development director says you have got to "set the platform" before you explode the myth of masculinity?, because there are changing meanings of what it means to be a man and what it means to be successful. He is trying to make men more comfortable in their own skin and empower them as they are more emotional than women.

Campaign: Why brands need to change

1) The two ways advertising traditionally presented masculinity are:

• Either a glamourous James Bond-style masculinity that attracted 'the ladies'
• Buffoon-style masculinity that was firmly under the wifely thumb

2) The two reasons that Joseph Gelfer  suggests for why this needs to change are:

• . The altruistic reason is that traditional masculinity causes problems, whether it be its impact on men’s wellbeing or on women and their equal representation in society. All brands need to do their part in making the world a better place, so looking at masculinity can really be seen as part of corporate social responsibility efforts.
• The self-serving reason is that masculinity is constantly shifting and brands need an equally agile response in order to engage with consumers and remain relevant and competitive. By repeating tired clichés or offering alternatives of only limited imagination, brands are in danger of failing on both these fronts

3) 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 

4) In the masculinity test I was..

Stage 3 on The Five Stages of Masculinity. Remember, the stages are only indicative, and people can be on different stages for different aspects of masculinity that are not captured by this tool.

I somewhat agree with this result because I am a feminist to an extent. However, some questions were not a good measure and some people would have a different opinion which the questions weren't asking.

5)The stage of masculinity that the Score advert was aiming at in 1967 was stage 1. This is because it portrayed male dominance and power. It made women look subordinate and inferior, so just subjective and submissive in comparison to the male character.

6) The stages of masculinity are important for companies and advertisers when targeting an audience because they will know what type of product appeals to what type of man. It also helps the advertisers keep up with the changing views of men and how masculine they should keep the product.