We are bombarded with billions of ads each day, mostly without even critically thinking about each one. Culture jamming is supposed to awaken us drones to realise how idiotic some of these advertisements are that are thrown at us, and as a blog had mention earlier to "Encourage critical perspectives on advertising and the messages we are force fed everyday". An effective culture jam will most commonly twist or change something subtly to a well recognized at or symbol which either reveals an awful truth or stupidity of the advertisement.
So this being said, let me tie this back to my question; why even tamper with American Apparel ads in the first place? Without these ads even being tampered with, they are still extremely degrading and that should be recognized without a trick of a photoshop tool, or added text:
I dont know about you, but i have never felt that way about a pair of tights. A whitty text or twist really isn't needed here to encourage me to think critically on the message american apparel is sending.
... I have also never felt this way about a pair of socks.
- Meryle Girl
Hello Meryle Girl,
ReplyDeleteGreat find on the American Apparel ads. No culture jamming needed at all, I entirely agree with you there. I challenge everyone to do a simple Google engine search of American Apparel advertisements and try to count how many of their ads use sexism. These photos would contrast fabulously with the photo posted by B-bloggin just before you: it reads "If your product was any good you wouldn't need sexism to sell it". Well seeing as how American Apparel advertising seems to feed off sexism as if it were oxygen, this says quite a bit about their products doesn't it? Particularly in these ads they disassemble a woman's body into parts, just as if she were a chicken thigh or wing for sale in the local grocery store.
Perhaps the benefits of American Apparel using such sexist advertising strategies, is that their products are in turn viewed as "sexy" "stylish" and "fun". However for me personally, it still isn't enough to make me want to buy their products, because ultimately all these ads make me want to do is burn them..
Cheers
The Veiled Interpreter
American Appeal's advertisements are sexist advertisements that sometimes make some individuals interested in the product. In one of my Sociology classes last year, our professor showed us the advertisement with the young woman and her knee high socks. This is appealing to some individuals and possibly some individuals end up buying this product. Like Veiled Interpreter mentioned, it is views as sexy stylish and fun but it is sickening. American Appeal does not need to be cultural jammed a lot because it is already doing itself a favour. It is disturbing to me personally to see a young woman in these advertisements showing her body as sexy when all what the picture should have is the tights and socks. There is no need to show perfect "sexy" body parts in advertisements for necessities such as clothing.
ReplyDeleteFuzzyBubbles
I fully agree with this article. It is ridiculous the extent that this brand sexualizes their ads, and for what reason, it is just a brand of clothing. I took the opportunity to search some more of their ads and I am shocked. I have never seen a brand take sexualization this far. It also confuses me as their images are so unrealistic. One image was of a women on the beach in a provocative position, in a thong bathing suit. Who does that. Or corduroy jeans, while a woman lays in bed with nothing else on. I personally do not find it comfortable to laze around in corduroys.
ReplyDeleteLike the Veiled Interpreter, American Apparels ads do not make me want to buy their products either, as I find their clothes very drab and not as unique as their ads. Is that possibly their reason for their attention-grabbing ads?
- Regina Filangi
ReplyDelete