Beer advertisements are my favorite ad to analyze. A vast majority of all beer ads include very attractive, skimply dressed women posed in a provocative way. And why is this? It is because most beer ads are aimed at men rather than women. While many men do in fact prefer to drink beer more than any other alcoholic drink, our culture has also implanted the idea that manly men drink beer and women drink the sissy, fruity mixed drinks. The beer companies, with their billions of dollars of advertising each year, have also been a powerful influence in maintaining this perception of that men drink beer.
I found that this beer ad was particularly interesting. Like any other beer ad, there is a large, ice cold, beer with a provocative dressed and posed attractive woman. However, what I found interesting was the fact that the beer bottle is larger than the woman in the picture and her dress blends in with, and serves as the beer bottle's label. This superimposition of the woman and the beer delivers the message that the two are inseparable. With this tempting display of beer and cleavage, the ad draws the full attention of a man and conveys to him that if he drinks Budweiser, attractive women come as part of the package.
This ad has used a women as synonomous with a beer and therefore displayed the idea that the women is merely an object that a man must obtain as well. I have often heard the phrase that "sex sells" as a way to justify the degradation of women in advertisements. While I do not believe that this is a good justification for us to continue to use these ads, I do know that an attractive women sells more products than anyone else. Because this fact is true I know that companies like these will continue to market their products in this manner as long as this marketing ploy continues to make them money. But, until society can stop from displaying and viewing women as nothing more than objects, women will not be able to push pass this widely advertised perception of them.
I like how you show that our cultural assumption (men drink beer, women fruity drinks) creates ads and is reinforced by ads.
ReplyDeleteThe post only considers one facet of the ad--that the woman is superimposed on the beer--and while this is certainly the main one, the post should think about less obvious elements too to fully explore it--color (USA, anyone?), design, positioning and appearance of person, for example.
I agree with your analysis. This ad, like many beer ads, uses the sexuality of woman to sell the product. This ad superimposes the woman and the beer bottle, as if she is part of the product. A sexy woman comes with the beer. The color scheme communicates something about the assumptions of the culture. The colors are red, white, and blue. Budweiser is All-American. Attractive, blonde, white women are All-American. If you are All-American, you both drink beer and desire an attractive woman. Luckily, the advertisement communicates, if you buy Budweiser, you get both.
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