In my other Critical Media core classes, I have found an interesting subject in advertising, especially the ads for high fashion displayed in magazines such as Vogue and W. Ive analyzed the content of ads and I am working on researching how college aged women process these ads. The bell hooks piece on the other brought an interesting perspective to this, looking at ads in regards to critical theory and “The Other”
“The Other” is a familiar concept with our group of Critical media students. We have learned of the commodification of the other that hooks speaks of in the context of Ota Benga and Ishii. Both of these primitive people were literally kidnapped and put on display for the white American public. The ads use our xenophobia and fear of the other to provoke deep desires as “the ‘real fun’ is to be had by bringing to the surface all those nasty unconscious fantasies and longings about contact the Other embedded in the secret (not so secret) deep structure of white supremacy”.
This Tecate Beer ad assumes that all of us dream of the proposition of having relations with a ‘spicy latina’, but their beer may offer us the same pleasure without bringing the caliente attitude.
Another Other is the homosexual, and Dolce and Gabanna is notorious for bringing the consumer homosexual imagery in their ads. These three men can be looked upon and one wonders if they are homosexual. The mystique and taboo nature of homosexuality raises our interest as we let the image into our heads and project ourself into it.
United Colors of Benetton has taken a more socially critical road. Here we see the white man chained to the black Other, and we interpret that painting of race relations any number of different ways.
No comments:
Post a Comment