MEDIA LANGUAGE & MEDIA REPRESENTATION

Media Language

• The advert was produced and released in 1967. This was seen as a period of change in the UK in regards to the changing attitudes towards the role of women and men in society. 
• The equal pay act was introduced in 1970,
• Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1967,
• This period is known as the ‘swinging 60s’- where drugs and sex were at their peak

• Hypermasculinity in advertisinG
• Hypermasculinity is defined as: psychological term for the exaggeration of male stereotypical behaviour, such as an emphasis on physical strength, aggression, and sexuality.
• With Advertising in the 1950s-1980s often featuring a hypermasculine representation of men – and some representations in the media today still continue this.
• Historical, social and cultural contexts 
• an historical artefact from 1967,
• 1967 can be seen as a period of slow transformation in western cultures with changing attitudes to the role of women – and men (something that the advert can be seen to negotiate.)
• This was Produced in the year of decriminalisation of homosexuality.
• The advertising techniques of fifty years ago are fundamentally similar to today – if more explicit.
• COMPARISON TO MENS HEALTH:
• Men’s Health magazine represents a notable social and cultural shift in expectations of contemporary masculinity.
• The study of Men’s Health can be linked to social and cultural contexts through reference to body image and changes in what society deems acceptable and unacceptable representations.
• Similarly, comparisons with Maybelline campaign and Oh! magazine would be useful in exploring a range of different theoretical ideas and approaches: feminist critical thinking, postcolonialism, postmodernism.
• how is costume, make-up and placement of models constructed to show male dominance?
• Costume & makeup:
• Both the male and female models are wearing clothing suited for camping or an adventure.
• The women are wearing short sleeved shirts that are tied up and extremely short skirts.
• The fact that their clothes are really revealing depicts how women were sexualised in these times and perceived as objects. The women’s makeup is also quite heavy and very smoky, creating a seductive nature to the advert and reinforcing the male gaze.
• Setting:
• The setting has been created to be harmonious with the costume choices of the advert.
• The advert seems to be set in a jungle.
• This represents Britain’s colonial values and the British Empire that was slowly starting to fall apart at the time of the release of this advert.
• Perhaps the producers chose to set it here to reassure the public that Britain is still in power of many other countries when it really wasn’t.
• Furthermore, the jungle is a dangerous place that requires a tough male character. This reinforces the extreme heterosexuality of the advert.
• Props:
• The main prop in the advert is probably the gun that the male model is proudly holding.
• This creates a traditional view of men where they are expected to be strong, brave and protective.
• The gun makes him appear powerful which depicts men as the dominant ones in society.
• However, it can also be depicted as a phallic symbol that informs the male target audience that the score hair cream will give them women and pleasure. 
• There is also a pedestal that the women are carrying the male on. This alludes to the fact that men are above women n society and should therefore be served by women.
• Actors
• The most obvious point is that there are 5 women in the advert while there is only one male. This would attract a male audience to the Score hair cream as they are made to believe that having good hair will make them attractive to women- and that is what they want. Three of the females are completely focused on the male character- either staring at him, desperately trying to touch him or admiring him. The model on the left is the only one not looking at him, instead she is staring directly at the camera. This creates eye contact with the audience and suggests to them that using the Score hair cream meas ‘this could be you’ in this current situation. 
• It is also important to note that all of the models seem to be British and are all white. This is probably due to the fact that racism was still around around the time of this advert. Furthermore, the male model has muscular, hairy arms which further creates an extremely heterosexual advert.
• Lighting:
• Bright lighting is used, probably to convey the hot weather and scorching sun of the jungle.