Score advert and wider reading

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1) How did advertising techniques change in the 1960s and how does the Score advert reflect this change?

In the 1960's companies adapted their way of advertisement production which meant they relied rather on instincts instead of market research therefore utilising traditional beliefs and humour in order to attract customers . The score advert demonstrates this with the representation of woman being lesser then men and the use of the hidden inappropriate meaning behind the gun which would intrigue audiences with the use of humour .

2) What representations of women were found in post-war British advertising campaigns?

Woman were commonly conveyed as helpers and supporters of men .

3) Conduct your own semiotic analysis of the Score hair cream advert: What are the connotations of the mise-en-scene in the image? You may wish to link this to relevant contexts too .

C- Women dressed in a sexualised manner in order to appeal towards the male gaze .

L- Bright light coming from behind male figure represents importance as it solely shone upon him .

A- Male figure at the top being held up by all the females displayed collectively .

M- Women have slight make-up in order to appeal to male gaze .

P- The gun is used in order to demonstrate power as well as conveying a hidden message as it sexualises the male figure .

S- Jungle theme displays the colonial era in great Britain 

4) What does the factsheet suggest in terms of a narrative analysis of the Score hair cream advert?

The male figure is depicted as the hero under Propp's character types theory .

5) How might an audience have responded to the advert in 1967? What about in the 2020s?

An audience in 1967 wouldn't of been reactant towards the advert and all which can be seen would have been normalised within their society .However in the 2020's many riots and reactions would be produced to the opportunity for all to have a voice as well as the increase active audiences alongside the decrease in passive audiences .

6) How does the Score hair cream advert use persuasive techniques (e.g. anchorage text, slogan, product information) to sell the product to an audience?

They use Anchorage texts in order to engage audiences . This is done through direct address as well as products directly made for certain audiences .

7) How might you apply feminist theory to the Score hair cream advert - such as van Zoonen, bell hooks or Judith Butler?

Butler determines that gender is socially constructed which links to the advert as it demonstrates gender roles through the representation of the females as they are displayed then lesser of a man as they are dressed in order to appeal for male alongside all of them working for a man .

8) How could David Gauntlett's theory regarding gender identity be applied to the Score hair cream advert?

Gauntlett's theory on gender identity revolves around on the idea of  that both media producers and audiences play a role in constructing identities. This can be applied to the Score hair cream advert as the producers for the advert are aiming to sell towards men and they are using females to help draw their attention to the product. 

9) What representation of sexuality can be found in the advert and why might this link to the 1967 decriminalisation of homosexuality (historical and cultural context)?

Women were displayed as much lesser then men and it was a common theme in that era . However after 1967 it was deemed that both genders were to become equals .

10) How does the advert reflect Britain's colonial past - another important historical and cultural context?

The jungle themed setting demonstrates the colonial era of the Brits going to countries or land that they weren't owners of then steadily making it theirs .

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1) Why does the writer suggest that we may face a "growing 'boy crisis'"?

That there is less support and information that would benefit men facing issues leading towards crisis in individual male lives .

2) How has the Axe/Lynx brand changed its marketing to present a different representation of masculinity?

As Lynx/Axe found when it undertook a large-scale research project into modern male identity, men are craving a more diverse definition of what it means to be a ‘successful’ man in 2016, and to relieve the unrelenting pressure on them to conform to suffocating, old paradigms. This insight led to the step-change ‘Find Your Magic’ campaign from the former bad-boy brand. One of the sectors most impacted by this insight is FMCG because the weekly shop is one of the household traditions where gender roles are most challenged; the person who wins the bread and the person who buys the bread isn’t down to gender these days.

3) How does campaigner David Brockway, quoted in the article, suggest advertisers "totally reinvent gender constructs"?

Brockway advocates that advertisers “totally reinvent gender constructs” and dare to paint a world where boys like pink, don’t like going out and getting dirty, or aren’t career ambitious, for example. But some authors think it’s already too late, with book titles proclaiming ‘The End of Men’ and that today’s male is a ‘Man (Dis)connected’. So, with so much evidence of this implosion of male identity and the risks of pandering to outdated stereotypes.

4) How have changes in family and society altered how brands are targeting their products?

As Miller says, the definition of “family” in places like Britain is profoundly changing – but advertising is not helping to normalise different scenarios by largely failing to portray this new normal. For brands nervous of saying the wrong thing, Whincup suggests experimenting with social media as it allows flexibility and for more targeted messages. Additionally, if it doesn’t work, it can be removed.

5) Why does Fernando Desouches, Axe/Lynx global brand development director, say you've got to "set the platform" before you explode the myth of masculinity?

 Fernando Desouches, Axe global brand development director, he knows that. And, as he says, you’ve got to “set the platform” before you explode the myth. “This is just the beginning. The slap in the face to say ‘this is masculinity’. All these guys [in the ad] are attractive. Now we have our platform and our point of view, we can break the man-bullshit and show it doesn’t matter who you want to be, just express yourself and we will support that.