Gender and Society

Name: MICHAELLAH D. GAGUAN Section code: E233

MIDTERM ACTIVITY OUTPUT

Advertisement No.1 (NEGATIVE)

(Advertisement of Philadelphia cream cheese and Volkswagen)

How does this advertisement portray gender, sex, or sexuality? What is the
ad intentionally trying to sell? What unintentional messages might it also
be sending?

The advertisement was prior for selling cream cheese of Philadelphia

and Volkswagen. Two fathers bungling comically while looking after their
babies while other woman was sitting next to a pram. Meanwhile they are
indulging the lunch where food was circulated on a conveyor belt, they
forgot the babies swings away with the conveyor belt. As they took their
baby, one of them said “Let’s not tell mum.” The advertisement was trying
to emphasize how their product tastes that good, where the main characters
even forgot anything important for a while. They intentionally used this
context and scenario to prove the good taste of their product. On the other
hand, they unintentionally portrayed that fathers are being careless when it
comes to child care, using the phrase “let’s not tell mum” is an evident that
this would never happen if women handles childcare. It strongly suggest
gender roles, where each gender are being expected to play a crucial part in
the society and other gender may not. From the fact that they used males in
the ad and how incapable they are in doing such duty, they limit the
capability of men. They hinder the notion that men can do anything, as
women also can. This scenario portrays a complete stereotyping, men as
irresponsible, that women can only do this thing. It depicts the sexuality of
men on how they must act and how they are act in the society.

Who is the intended audience of this advertisement? Are there any

stereotypes in this ad? How do you think this ads received? Do you think
it is effective? Explain.

The target market of the company includes the greater population as

they wanted to air the ad publicly. Also, their product wanted to reach the
people’s need of cheese. The Advertising Standard Authority (ASA)
received complaints from public that this ads perpetuated harmful gender
stereotypes. From the fact that this ad wanted to enter the market by using
such approach it doesn’t come tat way to how they portray men as
babysitters. The ad depicts that on the mother’s childcare, it won’t happen
as one of the character suggests that they should not tell the mothers. This
ad limits people see themselves, and their roles in the society. It clearly
reinforces the idea that men are incapable of caring for their children and
depicting that women are only responsible for handling childcare. It
portrays the incapability, and irresponsibility image of men. Stereotyping
men causes negative idea about men in the society. These self-image of men
depicted in the ad has a huge impact on the socialization of youth. In this
society, at this age, nothing limits anyone rather than culture. Everyone has
complete rights person a freedom to choose their roles in the society.
Therefore we should not label them with one roles because a men can do any
women can except child birth.
If you could make adjustments or changes to this advertisement, what
would you do, and why?

If I will be given a chance to make any adjustment to the advertisement

it would be changing the characters in the scene. Instead of using two male
as father as babysitter, I would use both parents who tasted the cream cheese
and they forgot about their child who swings along with the conveyor belt.
In such way the advertisement reinforces the idea that focuses on the
product itself. Indulging the cream and even forgot about the baby would
be catchy scene in the ad. This is to avoid any stereotyping, the presence of
both genders pave the way of any stereotyping. Both men and women is
perfect for the scene it would suggest that the whole family came for the
cream cheese. This is to change the present scenario using men and one of
them saying, “Let’s not tell mum.” In this manner we don’t put sexuality
stereotyping. We don’t discriminate men by saying they are irresponsible
and incapable. When two sexes are involve we can eradicate the notion of
the viewers about stereotyping. Moreover there is no sexuality present in the
video thereafter rather than advertisement alone.
Sexes doesn’t matter on setting roles in the family nowadays, because we do
not limit anyone on how they see themselves nor their label in the society.
We are reinforcing equality to foresee world peace.

Summary
In the late centuries, gender has roles according to sexes, this is a respond to
how they assign each sexes for survival. Over the years, it was has been
practiced all along that in the early years it put labels to each gender.
Example, girls do the childcare and household chores, while boys do the
hunting and livelihood. In this manner, everyone put such labels to each
genders. In this 21st century generation, population increased, number of
genders are increased, and equality are being manifested in every nation.
What a man can do, women also can. Those jobs and skills that this society
could see that men are dominant. Like, wrestling, driving, welding, and etc.
On the other hand, jobs and skills who are dominant for women, men can
also do, such as sewing, cosmetics, and etc. Volkswagen cream cheese taped
an advertisement involving two fathers who handle childcare, due to the
delicate taste of the cheese they forgot their babies who swings away with
the conveyor belt where food where placed. The mass who saw the
advertisement took the advertisement undesirably. They portray men’s
incapability and irresponsible handling childcare. A total stereotyping that
the public noticed and report about. Using men as subjects and emphasizing
the last part where they carelessly forgot about the babies saying “Let’s not
tell mum” strongly suggests that women can do better than them indeed.
When we are talking about sexuality, culture has a great impact on how a
society looks at men and women in the family. This new generation inforce
equality on both genders. To accommodate every rights of every gender.
Advertisement No.2 (POSITIVE)

PANTENE PHILIPPINES

How does this advertisement portray gender, sex, or sexuality? What is the ad
intentionally trying to sell? What unintentional messages might it also be
sending?

Pantene, a hair product company was experiencing a disconnection from its

female audience at their branch in the Philippines. To re-establish their impression
at the target market, they create a concept of advertisement base on their research.
They compare both genders, men and women in the workplace. 70 percent of men
said that women needed to downplay their personality in order to be successful in
the workplace. And 58 percent of women agreed. They’ve decided to lift their
consumer up as well as to sell Pantene. It is entitled “Label Against Women” This
advertisement focuses on sexuality of men and women on their socialization in the
workplace. How girls act in front of their co-entrepreneur, and how the company see
them compared to men. This brought various labels to women. But instead of going
with the casual, they enforce that women doesn’t need to let this labels of the society
bring them down as a women. Though both men and women are being presented,
only women are emphasized to step up since men is already been recognized as
dominant sex.
 This ad positively portray both gender, by emphasizing women and their roles.
They reinforce the idea that women would never get down in such labelling of
society.

Who is the intended audience of this advertisement? Are there any

stereotypes in this ad? How do you think this ads received? Do you think
it is effective? Explain.

Pantene Philippines, conducted a research at the workplace on how

women are being seen as boss compared to men. At Philippine setting
women are the target market. Since they are disconnecting from their
consumers they focus the research to women and make an advertisement to
reinforce lifting women from negative labelling. In the ad they present a
stereotyping of women inside the workplace. On how they are observed
being the head of the team and being hardworking for a certain goal. This
negative stereotyping present in the workplace, are being presented
alongside with how men are being considered in the workplace as well. They
used this as an opportunity to let women think to eradicate these labelling
and let them become themselves to soar high and to buy Pantene as well.
This is an effective way to lift women from stereotyping. This is an
empowerment to women as well as to pave the way how they must be
recognized in the industry. As is to be expected, this ad has its critics. After
all, the commercial is saying that women shouldn’t care about labels. Since
they use these stereotypes to lift women and eradicate this mentality. It
enforces equality and empowerment to everyone. In this economically
driven society, competition is crucial, being able to lift one’s self is a great
achievement.

If you could make adjustments or changes to this advertisement, what

would you do, and why?

If I could be offered adjustments or changes to this advertisement, I

would rather not change anything. Aside from the fact that this influential
concept is trying to sell Pantene, the message of women empowerment is a
strong foothold to rise equality to both genders and eradicate stereotypes.
From the lenses of this society women differ from men in their social
positions. The advertisement is powerful enough to bring women to the
process wherein women increase their access to control over the strategic life
choices that affect them and access to the opportunities that allow them to
fully realize their capacities. There isn’t enough gender for the betterment of
this society, each and every one regardless of the gender is crucial in nation
building. Gender equality is not a fundamental rights in this republic or even
in the world. But it is considered as a necessary foundation for a peaceful,
prosperous and sustainable world. I would rather not change anything from
the commercial when it also delivers a message that as necessary as
encouraging everyone to uphold peace and understanding to one another. I
was pleased with the positive intention of Pantene’s advertisement because
I am also a women and I see the success would only be met through
understanding each other.

Summary
We cannot defy the fact that it has been a tough history battling against
discrimination, labelling, and stereotyping. In regards of gender
stereotyping it had become rampant. In this society where gender was used
as subordination to both sexes, men and women are seen differently at
various lenses of the society’s institutions. Equality has become an advocacy
of several nations across the world.
Meanwhile in the economic portion of the republic, they use advocacy to
get the interest of their target market. Pantene also used an advocacy
regarding gender stereotyping to sell their shampoo, Pantene. They present
how both sexes are being observed inside the workplace under a survey. The
survey shows stereotyping on both sexes, both most of these are negative at
the part of the women.
Using gender stereotyping to enforce the idea that this kind of
discrimination cannot stop women to soar high to re-establish connection to
their target market to sell Pantene.
The advertisement have received a lot of criticism, this also brought a good
intention towards empowering women. This may lead to changing the
notion that women must lower their personality inside the workplace since
men is dominant, hence women must eradicate this notion by just doing
things the way they were, and be confident on showing their personality
honestly.