This is an advertisement for Pantene Pro V with singer Ellie Goulding
The ad includes the words:
PANTENE – Wash in Nutrients Wash in Strength
and
Strong is beautiful (in very small text)
Sex Role Perspective
The ad shows Ellie Goulding standing with her hands in her hair, staring at the camera. She has an intense look on her face. It looks like she is standing under what looks like water. She is wearing simple, fresh makeup and many pieces of gold jewelry. She also is wearing a plain white tank top with what looks like damp/wet hair.
The ad seems to be telling women that having strong hair and being a strong woman is beautiful, and that they can achieve this with Pantene shampoo. Ellie Goulding looks like a strong woman who knows what she wants, because she is looking straight into the camera with an intense stare.
However, she is still reflecting stereotypical feminine touch by gently grazing her hair. In this case, I think it is to highlight the hair, which is the main point of the ad.
I think this ad still reinforces some feminine stereotypes, but also resists them with the message of strength.
Gaze Theory
This ad makes Ellie Goulding look desirable, as she looks perfectly airbrushed and beautiful. Usually choosing to have wet hair in photography, especially in advertising, aims to have a more sexual or sexy connotation. This is to attract someone to the product.
In this instance, I do not think she is letting herself be objectified, because of her intense stare into the camera along with the focus on the hair, and not her outfit. (It was not skimpy or revealing to attract men to the photo).
Yes, men would probably be attracted to this, but I do not think the aim of this ad was to be pleasurable for men to look at.
Shared by: Megan Jasen
Image Credit: http://www.holmesproduction.com/uncategorized/pantene-pro-v-featuring-ellie-goulding/