Advertising: Assessment

David Gauntlett has argued against the idea that masculinity is 'in crisis'. To what extent do you believe masculinity is 'in crisis'?

In your response you should refer to your Advertising and Marketing Close Study Products: the Score hair cream advert (1967) and the Maybelline ‘That Boss Life’ YouTube advert (2017).

I agree with this statement as Gauntlett argues that views of gender and sexuality, masculinity and femininity, identity and selfhood, are all in slow but steady processes of change and transformation. He also highlights the differences in views on identity between young and old- e.g. on homosexuality or masculinity and argues that the mass media has become more liberal, and considerably more challenging to traditional standards and this has been a reflection of changing attitudes, but also involves the media actively disseminating modern values. Moreover, there have been significant changes in the way gender roles are represented from the 1960s to the early to mid 2000s. The notion that women were objectified or portrayed as domestic servants while men were the breadwinners and the overly superior gender of the two, really began to rise in the 1960s. However, the prospect of masculinity has changed to suit the views of modern society that are seen as ‘natural’ and ‘normal’. While people become more transparent with their sexuality today, it raises questions about whether the traditional concept of a male being ‘tough’ or ‘dominant’ is still at play today or are men still ‘all-male’ and are we altering what the dominant ideology of the gender roles should be today?

The ‘Jungle’ Score hair cream advert is a pre-1970 historical artefact, and as such it lends itself to examination in relation to the historical, social and cultural contexts in which it was produced. It is particularly useful in exploring gender roles, sexuality and the advertising techniques of the 1960s. 1967 can be seen as a period of slow transformation in western cultures with legislation about and changing attitudes to the role of women- and men-in society, something that the advert can be seen to negotiate. Produced in the year of decriminalisation of homosexuality the representation of heterosexuality could be read as signaling more anxiety that might first appear. Furthermore the reference to colonialist values can also be linked to social and cultural contexts of the ending of the Empire. The advertising techniques of fifty years ago are also fundamentally similar to today- if more explicit. 

By contrast, the Maybelline advert, constructed in 2017 offers a divergent view of masculinity by entering discourses on gender fluidity and engaging with the idea that for advertisers, gender is no longer important (in comparison to the 60s where the male breadwinner was always the target audience of any advertisement). Furthermore, the only identity that matters is the consumer. The changes in cultural and social norms are well-reflected in this product and the changing expectations of audiences and consumers can be explored through this advert. It goes to show, over the generations, the role of men has been well-documented and scrutinised in the media, from the days of the working man being waved off at the door by his dutiful wife in a soap powder advert to more modern narratives showing the hipster bearded stay-at-home dad juggling a baby and a business. The claim that masculinity is not ‘in crisis’ is evident through this very online advert and this is because in today’s society we are becoming more susceptible to other ways in which masculinity can be comprehended as we see through the main subjects of the advert, Manny Guitterez, an openly gay beauty blogger and Shayla Mitchell, a black female who is also a beauty influencer. Clearly these two adverts portray very different representations of sexuality and gender fluidity.

 The ‘Score’ ad uses a large image of a grinning man dressed like a hunter with a rifle nestled in the crook of his arm. He is held aloft on a tiger-skin platform by five women dressed in sexualised hunting costumes: short skirts, tied-up shirts and ammunition belts. Four women look up at him adoringly (one reaches out longingly) while the fifth, with a sultry expression, looks directly at the consumer reinforcing the element of direct address. The advert is using female sexuality to show men they can have power: you can conquer, you will be desired. Here we see the traditional dominant patriarchal ideologies being presented where the man is in control whilst the women, quite literally are positioned beneath him, holding him above them. The fact that the man seems in control while the women appear to deliberately wanting men in power reinforces stereotypes of power imbalance which also links to the 1970 Equal Pay Act. Furthermore, because traditional gender stereotypes are being reinforced in the ‘Score’ ad, I would argue that masculinity is not in crisis. However, throughout the Maybelline advert, we see Manny and Shayla who do not fit into such traditional gender roles being represented and therefore, I can argue that masculinity is in crisis due to the changing gender roles in modern society and the fact that we now define masculinity in many different ways than to that of provider and strong, emotionless rock.

The strapline of the ‘Score’ ad: ‘Get what you’ve always wanted’ is, like the image, a bold aspirational statement. The narrative is clear: the consumer can have everything they want in the world if they buy the hair product. The tone of the copywriting continues to hammer home Score Hair Groom’s masculine qualities describing its ‘masculine scent’ and reassuring the target audience that it’s ‘made by men’. This might address any hesitation that the average male might have about purchasing grooming products. Furthermore, no women were involved in the creation of this product, it is solely for men, it smells manly and using it will not feminise you in any way. Therefore, the brand’s personality and voice is all about masculine supremacy and self-belief, and is heavily reinforcing stereotypes of a patriarchal society, that being the 1960s.

However, an oppositional reading would be that the macho-laden ideas presented in this image are damaging to male self-esteem and present women as passive and merely decorative (although they’re good for carrying your ammo). In the 1960s, the advertising industry was really ‘coming of age’ and provided a platform to help to keep consumption

at an all-time high. Simultaneously though consumers began to question advertising ethics. Advertising was criticised for promoting materialism and for its exaggerated and sometimes dishonest practices. The advertisement for ‘Score Liquid Hair Groom’ is definitely a product of its time. The fact that the gun that the man is holding in the ‘Score’ ad can be seen as a phallic symbol of male dominance, I would argue that rather, it demonstrates how the man is in desperate need to declare his power over the women below him. 

As Gauntlett points out that “contemporary masculinity is often said to be ‘in crisis’; as women become increasingly assertive and successful, apparently triumphing in all roles, men are said to be anxious and confused about what their role is today.” He also argues that in an analysis of men’s magazines, they were about men finding a place for themselves in the modern world. This is undoubtedly evident in the Maybelline advert because Manny Guitterez can be seen as a man ‘finding a place for himself in the modern world’. Being an openly homosexual beauty blogger, millions support him with being himself and spreading the message that your sexuality does not really matter today. The online ad touches on issues of gender representation, ethnicity and lifestyle. The advertisement tells the story of two YouTubers, Manny Gutierrez and Shayla Mitchell checking into a New York hotel room with stunning views of the city. They open up a gold, glittery suitcase and out tumbles the product that everyone wants, the ‘Big Shot’ mascara. By simply applying the mascara, the wearer – female or male is instantly transported to a more sophisticated cosmopolitan life surrounded by the finer things such as a Manhattan hotel room, glamorous clothes and the promise of admission to the hottest clubs in the world’s greatest city. The ad, like its 1960s counterpart, uses an aspirational image showing two friends who do not conform to masculine and feminine ideals but are nonetheless powerful, happy in their own skin, confident in their bodies and their sexuality.

Manny and Shayla have strong, fun personalities; they have grown their own star image

through vlogging beauty tutorials so have a clearly defined youth audience. Both emphasise how important it is to be comfortable with yourself and ‘live like a boss’, a positive mantra that is already well used and ingrained in everyday vernacular, especially with the younger generation. The mode of address of the whole campaign is youthful and empowering. Slogans like ‘let’s get bossed out’ suggest a positive and powerful mindset that can be achieved with just the flick of a mascara brush. 

Judith Butler asserts that gender is not biologically determined but rather socially determined; learned through society. She believes that gender is a performance. Both the male and the female in the Score advert are performing the roles of the (masculine) man and the (feminine) woman in accordance with their biological sex. The advert also serves to reinforce the binary opposite gender roles ascribed by society. David Gauntlett argues that both media producers and audiences play a role in constructing identities. The role of the producer in shaping ideas about masculinity is clear in the Score advert, which is undoubtedly similar to countless other media texts of that era. Surrounded by such representations, 1960s men would inevitably use these to shape their own identities and their sense of what it means to be a man in the mid-twentieth century. Similarly, women would have a clear sense about their place in the world, despite many of the social changes that were leading to greater equality both socially and sexually (for instance, through access to the contraceptive pill).

In conclusion, I agree with Gauntlett’s statement that masculinity is not ‘in crisis’ and this is because the idea of masculinity has changed vastly throughout the years. Men today are able to reconstruct what it means to be a man in comparison to the fixed conventional stereotype of a man being tough in the 60s. The striking difference between the two advertisements is that ‘Score’ is celebrating everything believed to be great about a patriarchal society, while Maybelline is applauding the breakdown of hyper-masculine culture. There is no longer a fixed definition of masculinity and the rise of gender fluidity aids with this.