The Most Ballin’ Blog Ever

I think I will do my “project” or whatever it is considered to be on Levi jeans.  I know that advertising for jeans has changed alot over the years and I think it would be an interesting product to see the evolution of its advertising.  Another reason why I think I want use jeans is because I just like jeans.  They are great.

1. In this 45 page essay, Susan Bordo really drives her points home. This is very effective in a way to help people understand. She comes at the reader from a few different angles on each point to really help you grasp what she is trying to say. Also by using graphics helps visualize what she is talking about. By using very good, descriptive words, she controls the pace of the essay. It makes us slow down and think about what she is saying. She also has 27 sources listed in her bibliography. She really did her research before she wrote this essay which gave her many viewpoint and a whole lot to talk about. She also breaks the essay into sections. This helps her organize her ideas and gives her reason to just keep talking about stuff.

2. As I mentioned before, her subsections allow her to organize her thoughts, say what she needs to say without rushing, and also control the pace of the reading. They also help her develop her essay and tell it in order. First she talks about the history of using the naked or half-naked male body in advertising. Then she gives us an example of one designer and his story. Then she differentiates between the different ways to use the male body, whether it be the “stare down” effect or the self-conscience one.

3.  In her essay, Bordo discusses the “gaze” of another and how people can be defined by it.  It gives a person a sense of self-worth when they are approved by someone else.  And also, “getting caught in moments of fantasy or vanity may be especially shameful.”  Your position changes as soon as you get the “Look” of another.  “It isn’t until those other eyes are upon you that you truly feel not just the ‘wrongness’ of what you are doing, but … the very fact that you are doing it.”

In the first ad, Kotex attempts to sell its product by suggesting that it is the polite and proper thing to use.  This sort of ad could never be used in today’s world of advertising.  Now-a-days the ad would have to get our attention by using an eye-catching image or phrase, like in the second one.  It uses a picture of a good-looking woman and uses short sentence fragments to sell the feminine napkins.  In this day and age its all about the first impression.  I can honestly say that I wouldn’t even think about reading the first ad not only because I’m not interested in buying feminine hygene products, but also because I really don’t want to read all of those words.

All of the women shown in these pictures are represented completely differently than Douglass’ interpretation of women in the media today. These women aren’t advertising their bodies to sell a product or anything. They are displaying their ability to do the same things as men.  The first picture is of a woman in the military.  She is obviously not about to show herself off to sell the army.  The second picture is a classic.  This image was used during the war when the men left and women had to work the factories and do the “men’s jobs.”  The third image is a picture of a couple of women studying.  Obviously images of women can be used without being sexual.  They can be used to show that women “Can Do It” just like men.