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Representation of Women in the Media

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Representation of Women in the Media
In today's society, the media has a strong ability perpetuate negative female stereotypes, portraying images of what women are "supposed" to look like, that degrade and demean all women to one common ground. Unfortunately many leading brands and companies have the ability to change our society by doing so.

A prime example of a company in which participates in this unfortunate activity is PETA (people for the ethical treatment of animals). Whilst this brands aim is to promote the good well-being of animal it does so by dehumanising women as animals, promoting the "ideal" body type and objectifying women. PETA achieves this through various advertisements such as the "Have a heart, go vegetarian" campaign.

In this advertisement a young woman blonde woman is sitting in a purple swimsuit. This woman wears a soft purple bikini, whilst calmly inviting you into the advertisement, subtly evokes romance and luxury, suggesting that this woman is merely an object of desire. The soft purple, can also represent extravagance and ambition, allowing the viewer to receive a false understanding, that this "ideal" image of a woman is an achievable goal, simply if you follow what the advertisement is telling you to do (a clever use of Given/New). The purple is in contrast to the white background which represents the woman's gentle and pure nature, which contradicts the powerful influence of the purple, implying that the woman-whilst pure and innocent- is a strong, powerful woman, much like the brand.

Louring you into the advertisement is the woman's intensified demand to the viewer. The use of this direct gaze is inviting and engaging, as the darkness of her eye makeup creates a sense of control and demand, almost forcing you to look at the ad, and read into it further. The use of symbolism of the typical "beautiful woman" with her platinum blonde hair, blue eyes and incredibly faultless skin tone, also acts as a form of invitation, driving the viewer to discover more.
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