Representation of women in TV advertising

Nivea Firming Body Lotion



In this particular advertisement for Nivea Body Lotion, which was broadcast on ITV during the prime time slot, as women would ideally watch TV during the afternoon and late at night. Moreover, the narrative revolves around a teenage girl who applies Nivea lotion and believes the lotion actually softens the skin. Though, women in this advertisement are represented as the dominant sex who are self objectified in a positive way to attract men.

The use of the voiceover signifies how the lotion is effective , as it makes skin softer which offers women a chance to look attractive and confident . The use of an over the shoulder shot connotes how the lotion actually soothes delicate areas such as the back and areas which usually are tense such as the shoulders. In many ways, the women are encouraged to buy the product as it will guarantee beauty and men. However, if they do not buy the product they will not be able to have smoother skin and may not be confident.

As well as this, the advertisement signifies naturalisation,
as the lotion is a beauty product which intends to be focused at the female audience, as it is a mosituriser which focuses predominately on women, as they are conscious of their appearance and tend to take care of their body . In this way, the use of non deigitic music of the guitar is faded, in order to signify a more subtle mood. Though, the use of continual close ups and fades connote how the lotion can be applied to all areas of the body and is a way of rejuvenating the skin. Though the use of a close up shot of the female derriere seems to offer sexual gratifications to a male audience , as the bum is fetishized as being soft
which connotes sex.

As the camera focuses on two hands in a close up
shot, it zooms to signify how the women has a man, due to using the lotion. What's more, the body language of the hand on the back connotes pleasure and seduction, as the women feels more confident. Evidently, the confident, seductive facial expression of the teenage girl and the aroused facial expression of the man connotes pleasure, as she gestures her willingness to have a romance.

The Nivea advert uses positive values, as the use of the fact ' 73% of women believe firmer feeling skin gives them the confidence to reveal a bit more'. In this way, the advert connotes how the product serves its purpose and is also polysemic, as it suggests that it will result in confidence in the bedroom. Also, the use of the slogan ' feel closer' signifies how the product is meant to traget at women, as they can use the product in order to get men and have relationships.

Barnado's 'Break the Cycle'



Barnado's ' Break the Cycle' is a socially realistic advert which was broadcast on November 2008 on Channel 4 and was part of an emotive campaign , which intended to highlight the abuse of children and its mission to help vulnerable children. The multi stranded narrative focuses on a teenage girl who is represented as an illiterate, a drug addict and a criminal . The advert seemingly raises awareness of abuse and shows how children are deprived of their normality and are forced to leave a life of fear.

The advert opens with a medium shot of a women in jail, which gives an alternative representation of women as criminals, in comparison to other adverts, where they are sex objects for men. Though the tearful facial expression connotes how her life and environment has lead to her being in jail. In many ways, the advert adds a sense of voyeurism, as the audience can have negotiated and oppositional readings toward the teenage girl, as they get to see her in all aspects of her life,, from school to drugs and domestic abuse.

The use of the diegitic sound of the kettle gradually boiling connotes tension and violence , as the audience something unexpected is about to happen. Through the use of a fade, the audience get a more introspective view of how the women is treated at home, with the use of diegitic sound of the man saying ' You worthless little cow' connotes how the women is negatively represented as being the Proppian villian and a victim.

The kettle sound connotes anger and hatred, as the angry facial expression of the teenage girl signifies how she is willing to do something irrational. In many ways, the teenage girl in the advert is subordinated, as her father slaps her on the head, which connotes how he is more dominant in the household and signifies an element of patriachy.

What's more, the women is given an alternative representation as being stupid, as the medium shot of the teenage girl signifies how she is distressed and seemingly illiterate, as the diegitic sound of 'she can't read' by a classmate connotes how the girl is pressured by her classmates and is unable to read from a book, which relates to the fact that her upbringing was very poor. The use of a fade seems to progress the narrative , as the audience get to see the girl, as she reverts to drugs, as signified in a high angle shot, where she is addicted and aroused by the effect of heroin. The use of the needle is similar to a phallic symbol, as it penetrates the girl, resulting in her arousal.

Though, the negative representation of women are shown, as the teenage girl is more violent, as signified in a , where she is threatening a civilian for money. Though, there is a sense of androgyny, as the close up shot signifies how women are more violent and aggessive, giving an alternative representation, as men would stereotypically be represented as more violent and abusive, yet the girl tends to be more physically dominant in this advert.

Interestingly, the advert speeds up, with the medium shot of the girl in jail. By doing this, Barnado's, as an institution intends to inform the audience of how this cycle is repetitive and evident in everyday life. The use of emotive and serious tone through the narrative, raises ideologies of child abuse and the fact that support is needed in order to stop this type of abuse, as lives are ruined.