Miguel Gonzalez
10/01/10
ENG 101 0800
1st Draft
Throughout our daily bases of life we are rational to see different aspects of things we purchase. We keep doing the same routine, we buy products that we think have no meaning but it’s the contrary our perception and understanding of the world we live in is beyond our comprehension. Most of the times we need a third eye to view the true hidden messages that the media both visual and print try to promote. I being a man am constantly being manipulated by ads in magazines and the television. That’s why I feel when we purchase a product we are not only buying the product. We are buying a type of masculinity. Within a “Men’s Health Oct. 2009”magazine there is a Bloomingdale’s ad which to me endorses retro sexuality.
In the magazine there is an ad where there trying to advertise men’s clothing from Bloomingdales. There is a young thin white model that looks like a country boy with his hand in his pocket and his different forms of clothing. He is wearing an orange shirt under a button down jean shirt. Over the jean shirt he has a grey sweater and a Brown rural looking jacket. To many this may seem like any normal ad that is trying to promote clothes but to people who really see the inner message it is different. What kind of guy’s is this model calling? What I’m trying to explain to you here is that this ad is for a certain group of men. The guy in my ad looks like he has no time to worry about shaving or getting his GTL (gym tan laundry) done. Personally it’s as if he didn’t care of how he looks. Just like (Bordo 200) suggested, “the man who cares about his looks the way a woman does, self esteem on the line, ready to be shattered at the slightest insult or weight gain, is unmanly and sexually suspect” . To me the ad is promoting an old fashion type of masculinity with his messy hair and rugged beard.
His stare is tough and firm like a hawk watching its prey. Similar to a staring contest but he is not going to be the loser. His casual look and his laid back appearance illustrate relaxation. Yet his facial expression shows dominance. The bushy golden eyebrows, the messy hair and untrimmed beard make him the ideal countryman Bloomingdale’s was going for. From my understanding he is going for the traditional faceoff posture which its purpose is for intimidation according from Bordos Beauty (re) discovers the male body page 188. Basically this ad is the total opposite of what you would see in an Armani Exchange or Abercrombie & Fitch propaganda. No naked long hair women looking guys here. This ad is strictly traditional masculinity. I believe this ad wants to catch the attention to a certain group. Not only his facial expression and appearance yell out traditional masculinity but the theme and colors being used in this ad play a important role.
The theme this ad is going for is country. How do I know this? Well there is what looks to be a wooden cabin behind the model, the rustic setting it makes it look urban and it says in big words COUNTRY on the side of the advertisement. All the colors of this ad are dark and from what I last recall dark colors are manly. Nothing is bright. No hot pink or neon yellow. The model looks like he woke up at actual countryman. Ready to cut some wood for the night. Not like in a Nautica advertisement where you are most likely to see a guy with small shorts and his clean Sperry shoes . In the ad I have the man’s shoes are not visible but if they were to be I bet they would have been old used boots. The theme that Bloomingdale's created contributed ton making the ad old fashion masculine.
Conclusion :under construction
Your first body paragraph in fact sounds like an introduction as you describe the ad and explain the masculine style the ad and the Bloomingdales products are promoting. Please work on this for your final draft. In the first sentences, you are using the wrong ‘there’. Please check your spelling and remember what we said about ‘there,’ ‘their,’ and ‘they’re.’ What do you mean by ‘different forms of clothing’? Different from what? Do not capitalize the word brown, unless it is the model’s last name? Then you ask “What kind of guy’s is this model calling?” I don’t understand what you mean? Guy apostrophe‘s’ indicates possession or contraction, so this questions reads “what kind of guy is is this model calling? Calling? Reconsider using the word calling in this question. Also no not refer to the ad as ‘my ad’ and instead refer to it by the brand’s name, Bloomindales. Please review what we said about MLA format and do not place the author’s last name and page number in parentheses in the beginning of the quote. Instead either, mention Bordo in the signal phrase – Just like Bordo suggests- and then after the quote include parentheses with the page number, or if your signal phrase does not include a mention of Bordo, include her last name and page number at the end of the quote in parentheses. Last but not least you need to INTERPRET the quote you have included from Bordo in your paper, just like we did for the quick write in class last week. Otherwise, the quote is ineffectively integrated into your paper. What does Bordo’s quote say about why should a man typically not care about his looks?
ReplyDeleteYour second body paragraph is more effective than your first, as this one analyzes the model’s appearance. Also, I like the contrast you make between other brands’ ads and the Bloomindales’ ad you are analyzing. But proofread your work; when you write: “No naked long hair women looking guys here” maybe change ‘women’ for ‘feminine’? Also when you write, “I believe this ad wants to catch the attention to a certain group”, I don’t think you mean ‘catch the attention to’ but ‘catch the attention of’? Last but not least, you shift to analysis of the background of the ad and this makes for a weak paragraph construction. Remember to focus on ONE aspect of the ad in each body paragraph.
Your first body paragraph in fact sounds like an introduction as you describe the ad and explain the masculine style the ad and the Bloomingdales products are promoting. Please work on this for your final draft. In the first sentences, you are using the wrong ‘there’. Please check your spelling and remember what we said about ‘there,’ ‘their,’ and ‘they’re.’ What do you mean by ‘different forms of clothing’? Different from what? Do not capitalize the word brown, unless it is the model’s last name? Then you ask “What kind of guy’s is this model calling?” I don’t understand what you mean? Guy apostrophe‘s’ indicates possession or contraction, so this questions reads “what kind of guy is is this model calling? Calling? Reconsider using the word calling in this question. Also no not refer to the ad as ‘my ad’ and instead refer to it by the brand’s name, Bloomindales. Please review what we said about MLA format and do not place the author’s last name and page number in parentheses in the beginning of the quote. Instead either, mention Bordo in the signal phrase – Just like Bordo suggests- and then after the quote include parentheses with the page number, or if your signal phrase does not include a mention of Bordo, include her last name and page number at the end of the quote in parentheses. Last but not least you need to INTERPRET the quote you have included from Bordo in your paper, just like we did for the quick write in class last week. Otherwise, the quote is ineffectively integrated into your paper. What does Bordo’s quote say about why should a man typically not care about his looks?
ReplyDeleteYour second body paragraph is more effective than your first, as this one analyzes the model’s appearance. Also, I like the contrast you make between other brands’ ads and the Bloomindales’ ad you are analyzing. But proofread your work; when you write: “No naked long hair women looking guys here” maybe change ‘women’ for ‘feminine’? Also when you write, “I believe this ad wants to catch the attention to a certain group”, I don’t think you mean ‘catch the attention to’ but ‘catch the attention of’? Last but not least, you shift to analysis of the background of the ad and this makes for a weak paragraph construction. Remember to focus on ONE aspect of the ad in each body paragraph.
Your second body paragraph is more effective than your first, as this one analyzes the model’s appearance. Also, I like the contrast you make between other brands’ ads and the Bloomindales’ ad you are analyzing. But proofread your work; when you write: “No naked long hair women looking guys here” maybe change ‘women’ for ‘feminine’? Also when you write, “I believe this ad wants to catch the attention to a certain group”, I don’t think you mean ‘catch the attention to’ but ‘catch the attention of’? Last but not least, you shift to analysis of the background of the ad and this makes for a weak paragraph construction. Remember to focus on ONE aspect of the ad in each body paragraph.
ReplyDelete