"We're not saying this body wash will make your man smell into a romantic millionaire jet fighter pilot, but we are insinuating it."
The commercial definitely relies on making people laugh but it seems to try to make any man who uses any other hygiene products to be inferior. This commercial is definitely negating this demographic by making them feel inferior and need to be more "manly" by buying old spice. The commercial (in its ridiculous way) is trying to say that a man is not manly unless he uses these products and if any other product is used, you're just not quite as awesome as the man in the commercial. This is also aimed at women, not for them to use the product themselves but for them to encourage their men to use it. The title of the commercial says it all: "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like," therefore women whose men do not use these products are made to feel a little inferior as well.
These aren't fair standards because they are making ridiculous claims. This was obviously the aim of the writers (judging especially by the description of the clip), but the advertisement gives no proof of these outrageous claims. The commercial aims to use humor to make men who use alternatives to old spice inferior and less manly. The commercial is basically saying that you too could live up to your full manly, awesome potential.
This commercial appeals to the audience's sense of humor, and by all means, it works. It causes laughter and people will remember the commercial as they shop for products. The writers of the commercial were targeting women as their audience, assuming that a wife or girlfriend will persuade their significant other to purchase their product.
ReplyDeleteIf this commercial were serious, I would agree that the standards aren't fair. Because it's a joke, I think it does a good job and poking fun at Old Spice while still creating a sense of supremacy in their product.
Old Spice commercials are always entertaining!
ReplyDeleteWhat or who is negated? For this advertisement Old Spice does negate both men who don't already use Old Spice and the women of these men. As you mentioned in your blog they poke fun at this group and attempt use peer pressure to convince them that they have to start using Old Spice.
What standards are created by the image or advertisement? Are these standards fair? Old Spice sets up the standard that any man who does not wear Old Spice is "not a manly man." It almost implies that women should not even pay men who do not wear Old Spice any attention. Although this commercial is meant to be funny, and it is entertaining, these standards it tries to set are not fair. Old Spice is really trying to say that a man isn't a man until he uses Old Spice.
Is the advertisement or image ethical? I did not find this commercial to be unethical in any way.