The Male Body in Advertisement

           It is hard not to wonder about all the other advertisements that have a certain message or purpose behind them. People unknowingly fall for the persuasive traps that advertisers set all the time. Whether it is a catchy sing a long, flashy words or appealing images, ads never fail to lure viewers in. In Susan Bordo’s book, The Male Body: A New Look at Men in Public and Private, she addresses the use of men and advertising. In the advertisements that Bordo talks about, the men’s bodies are presented as “objects of pleasure and instances of commerce.” I agree with Bordo’s views of how men are being displayed in advertisement.

             

            Growing up in the 90’s is different from growing up in the 40’s, which were Bordo’s adolescent years. Being just a child in the 90’s, I was exposed to advertisements that were quite inappropriate for my age. When I saw an ad of Marky Mark Wahlberg grabbing his crotch, I was in complete awe.  Marky Mark’s ad is not conservative at all. I grew up in this era and thought that advertisement this was the norm. At the time, I had no idea that there was a time where this Calvin Klein ad with Wahlberg in it would not be acceptable. This picture displays Wahlberg as an object of pleasure.

                                             

      In the Dolce & Gabbana fragrance advertisement models appear to be naked. This ad shows the masculine side of men with their defined muscles. When I saw this advertisement in my teenage years, it gave me the perception of how men look. The ad sent me a message that masculine men wear D&G products and ladies love it. Why do the men have to be naked to sell the merchandise? The advertisement by D&G uses the models for an aid of commerce in order to sell the fragrance.