Ashley Novak
an403107@ohio.edu
All of us are consumers in the ever-changing world of advertising. We've been told that Macs are obviously better than PCs, but after talking to the Tech Depot, one "guru" told me that he's told parents more times than not to get their kid a PC because it's a.) more affordable and b.) more practical for their major. Personally, I'm in the minority of PC users in Scripps and I feel shamed every time I start up my computer sitting in class. But why do I feel this way?
The advertising team for Mac has done its job. I've basically convinced myself the next investment I make will be in a Mac solely to not feel shunned at school.
Outside the world of computers, though, we're targeted every day and it's not always the women as a lot of analysts point out. I know, I know, as a woman shouldn't I be speaking out about the ads that target my image and my self consciousness? Sure, but I learned a long time ago that I'll try and look the way I want to, with as much, or little, effort as possible.
Men, however, are targeted in ways that we laugh off. The Old Spice commercials anyone? Hilarious and exaggerated? Definitely, but the message is still there. Would we still find it appealing and "good advertising" if they used a man without the six pack?
The commercial singles out the men who use different types of body wash and tells you that your "lady" won't want to be with you if you don't smell like him.
My point is, the advertising that targets women is outdated and overdone. We've all been exposed to it and it's been picked apart for us, even by other advertisers (Dove), but the ads that call out the manliness of men is less talked about and I find that interesting, because it seems that men are fitting the stereotype they're supposed to by not talking about how these ads make them feel.
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