Sexism is manifested in magazines through the unrealistic portrayal of men and women. Men are often portrayed as “supermen” who are physically strong, brave, and powerful. Women, on the other hand, are portrayed as perpetually beautiful, perfectly shaped, young, sex objects. Our self-image, what we want, and what we need are influenced by advertisements.
Your assignment is to locate at least 3 print or web advertisements in different genres of as possible (a variety of topics such as: sports, news, women’s, men’s, trade, hobby). Finally answer the following questions in essayy format for each advertisement:
Is the major character in the ad female, male, or are both included?
What product is the ad selling?
Who is the target audience?
What activity is illustrated in the ad?
Is either gender involved in some activity? What type?
What are the individuals in the ad wearing?
Are the individuals portrayed in the ad given an active or passive role? (By active I mean are they “actively” engaged in an activity of importance, by “passive” I mean is their presence in the ad irrelevant or insignificant to the purpose of the message being given.)
What is the message of the ad?
