| Advertisement | Score | That Boss Life |
| Summary | Published in 1967, the representation reinforces negative gender stereotypes with its portrayal of the powerful and dominant man who conquers the passive and subservient women. | |
| Key Facts | ||
| Key Words | David Gauntlett, Judith Butler, Richard Dyer, Myth, Barthes, Claude Lévi-Strauss, Van Zoonen, bel hooks, encoding/decoding, negotiated reading, intersectionality, Charles Peirce’s Triadic Model of Communication | David Gauntlett, Judith Butler, Richard Dyer, Myth, Barthes, Claude Lévi-Strauss, Van Zoonen, bel hooks, encoding/decoding, negotiated reading, intersectionality, Charles Peirce’s Triadic Model of Communication |
| Talking Points | A number of signifiers help encode this preferred reading. First, the man is positioned at the top of the mise-en-scène, connoting his higher status, and the fact he is being carried on a litter could even suggest a god-like superiority. The rifle, which is propped casually in his manly arms, has obvious connotations of violent power and adventure. Presumably, this is weapon he used to subdue and dominate this new world. The indexical animal skin is evidence of his success. Finally, notice how his short-sleeved shirt reveals his muscular arms. This is a man who is ready to fight. | It reflects the fluidity of gender identities and how values and ideology are never fixed. (Gauntlett). The most obvious signifier is the colour gold. It is introduced on the title card “That Boss Life” and on the label “Big Shot Mascara”. The producers then direct the viewer’s attention to the gold suitcase on the trolley by making it stand out among the other pastel-coloured cases and tracking the camera so it dominates the mise-en-scène. When Manny and Shayla open the suitcase, it reveals a divine light. The angelic sound effect, an important aural code in the text, and their positive reaction reinforces the mental concept of beauty and bliss. |
| Introductions |
