When I was presented with the task of researching food and restaurant advertisements and how they “keep women in their place” in terms of sexuality I immediately thought of the Kim Kardashian blow up sex doll sold at Spencer’s. This isn’t just an ordinary sex doll it has pictures on the box of her eating burgers messily (while of coarse remaining “sexy”). I researched commercials for this interesting sex doll and I came across this commercial for Carl’s Jr. cranberry apple grilled chicken salad. As mentioned in a prior post for a different commercial its borderline soft core porn, it takes place on a bed, her cleavage is out, then she continues by saying “The best things in life are messy, but its fun to get clean” and heads for a bubble bath…this all to sell a salad!! At first glimpse I assumed this commercial was strictly intended for a male audience, then I questioned in today’s society it is stereotypically the girls reaching for the salad so why wouldn’t they have Kim eating a big juicy burger? Then I thought could this commercial be intended for both? The male strictly for viewing pleasure… But why women? Could it be because many women look up to Kim and see her as what men want (big chest, small waste, big butt)…Could women (subconsciously) think that if they were to eat this salad they could too look like this?
Before taking this class I never thought twice about these vulgar advertisement. I just always went back to the famous line “sex sells”. Doing this research makes me question…how are many of these commercials even allowed to air??
-Molly
Alright, as a starting thought I WILL NEVER EVER EAT FROM CARL's JR... EVER. Just from what I have learned from a few blogs already, I am seriously disgusted!!! Their ad's are pathetic and the only thing they suggest is that their CEO is clearly a sexist pig (sorry but honestly). Like hello, youre a FOOD business, I thought your job would be to sell the idea that you have good tasting food? Not the idea that women need to be highly sexualized and unrealistically beautiful in order to be accepted in society (as if we don't get enough of that through every other media outlet already!!).
ReplyDeleteThis commercial is actually very interesting, as I myself am a little puzzled as to why a woman like Kim Kardashian would be trying to sexually sell a salad, which is typically considered a "feminine" food... Maybe they (as in the advertising geniuses behind these ads) are attempting to convince men they should eat these "hot" salads? Or maybe the real truth behind it is that romance/sex sells to either gender. When Kim slips the bit of lettuce into her mouth so delicately, or when she bites the slice of apple so tenderly, she is selling the pleasure of romance to either gender. The salad (for the moment) is her better half, it completes her and makes her happy. Who wouldn't want that?
Do you agree Molly, or what are your thoughts based on what I've said?
Cheers
The Veiled Interpreter
This ad is a perfect example of how romance puts women 'in their place'. Firstly, the company is telling women food and romance are both very important in their life. Women need to choose foods that will allow them to look like the women in this commercial. A women should pay close attention to what she eats because she needs to be as skinny and sexy for her husband when he comes home after work. When talking about a women's 'place', this commercial suggests that she belongs in the home, but more specifically in the bedroom. She is seen just rolling around in the bed and jumping in the tub. Commercial gives the feel of daytime, so why sing she at work? Why is she alone at home during the day worrying about what she eats? Why doesn't this commercial show a women at work? Why must she been see as a sex object in the home? Ads have used this romancing technique for so many products. They trick women into believing this is how they are supposed to act and that its okay for men to treat them like sex objects. They use young, attractive, sexy celebrities to remind women they need to look top notch for their husbands. This commercial is telling women they need to eat salads to look like the celeb in this ad. This has the women just rolling around at home, and suggests she doesn't have any other worthy abilities that should be acknowledges outside the home. This is a typical ad that shows how power structures work in society; the man is part of the public sphere and the woman is is private. Her place is in the home, eating only foods that will allow her to stay young fresh and sexy for her husband.
ReplyDelete-Goldilocks
I agree with the The Veiled Interpreter that the commercial may be trying to get men to eat the salad, in which Kim Kardashian is trying to sell to them while using her body sexually. She even mentions how she is a neat freak, and yet she will eat a messy salad, in her bed? I also agree with Goldilocks that she is “kept in her place” in the bedroom, in the private space. She needs to be a good woman and be “ready anytime” for her partner in the bedroom.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, the commercial is using classical conditioning to sell the salad to heterosexual men, since it's repetitive misogynist imagery. “If boobs should like salad, then I should like salad!” which may be the thought process. I mean, it's salad. Carl's Jr. probably knows already that women will by their salad. They're using this to market the salad to men.
For the act of eating in itself, an individual must be sitting straight up to properly digest the food, and eat the food with some kind of utensils. She's eating salad with her hands. Who does that!? Usually like how women have to “prepare” themselves to get ready for bed, she is eating the salad like a bedtime ritual. She's fixing the sheets perfectly to organize her space as she sensually devours the salad. The salad just appears out of no where as well. I'm sure she did not prepare that salad on her own. The salad is making crunchy sounds. When was the last time that salads are so crunchy and fun to eat? Salads are rather boring in reality, in my opinion, and are a food that women feel compelled to eat if they feel the need to diet. Hmmm... Does Kim Kardashian need to diet?
This commercial just instills the heteronormative male gaze all over again. Kim is shown as non-threatening and she is fetishized. Interesting choice of the apple being a phallic object though. It's forbidden? Hmm... The tip of the apple also looks more red because of the dressing of the salad. Sexually ready enough, food?
On the topic of romance, Kim Kardashian seems like she enjoys salads as her sexual partner. (The salad even contains nuts! lol) Once the salads gets her messy (with its single drop of dressing) she is compelled to take a bath and continue her delight by eating more of the salad. As far as I'm concerned, the one drop of salad dressing did not even fall on her.
Electric Erio
Excellent find with this video. Totally agree with the idea that this commercial can deffinitly be defined as soft core porn. Its no mistake that kim grabs onto the sheet sexually while eating the salad as if she were feeling somesort of pleasure, and also no mistake that the dressing drips sensually as she puts the apple slice to her lips, and shows a drop of dressing drip past her cleavage. So many sexual innuendos in this video im amazed theres such a commercial for a salad where you most likely have to say "Close your eyes kids" when the commercial is airing between our beloved television shows.
ReplyDelete-Meryle Girl
This is an interesting example of visual depictions supporting romances reassuring theme of keeping women subordinate objects. It poses many questions and leaves room for many differing interpretations. I’m sure if Kim Kardashian (famous for what exactly?) was called out and questioned about this commercials she would speak of empowerment, being proud, owning and honouring herself and perhaps for her she truly feels this. She is also a smart business woman (questionable!) that knows the sick reality that sex does sells and we live in one greedy world that supports ‘looking out for number 1”. However, if Kim could not rely on the sex sells motto would she be able to use her true intelligence and smarts to make her millions? Would she even know how to?
ReplyDeleteThis commercial reassures and holds women in their place on the hierarchal divide in regards to romance. Provocative language, visual nudity, and confrontational actions/body positions are the tools used to hold us back but when people like Kim Kardashian discuss it as a way of empowering and embracing female bodies it sends conflicting messages.
-ace55kg