In modern society today, it is apparent that fundamental social change is affecting the definitions of all areas of cultural, political and economical practices. This social evolution is partly because the ideas of new popular messages presented by media and social media. For example, while dominant masculinity is still practiced and common in our culture, advertisements today have offered a variety of different paradigms that men may identify with that can create an open ended definition of masculinity hegemony. “Hegemony refers to the establishment of a culture- a certain set of ideas, practices, and values- as common sense. Hegemonic ideas are ones that people consent to.” (Carah and Louw p. 16) Advertisements have the power to work in favor
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Old Spice is responsible for reinforcing hegemonic masculine ideals with their advertisements. Through television advertising, the company has used catch phrases such as “smell like a man, man” and “the man your man could smell like.” Isaiah Amir Mustafa is well known for being the main character in a series of Old Spice commercials. Mustafa is an attractive, tall, muscular man who embodies the hegemonic masculinity that is idealized in contemporary western culture. He is dressed in a classy way that makes it safe to assume that he is part of the upper class. Also, when the scene takes place in a house, the house includes nice furniture that would appear in a mansion-like home. Throughout the campaign Mustafa is seen engaging in masculine outdoor activities such as walking on a log in the water and swan diving off of a cliff, he even appears on a yacht in one of the commercials. Another example from the commercial Questions is, “Do you want a man who smells like he can build you a gourmet cake, in the dream kitchen he built you, with his own hands?” This quote exemplifies Old Spice’s efforts to produce hegemonic masculinity by presenting a heterosexual male engaging in activities that make him a man, saying that if viewers want to be like him and smell like a man, they should buy Old Spice, Timber body …show more content…
The term masculinity is constantly re-inventing itself. As we think about how masculinity has changed since Shugart published her article in 2008, we have seen society adopt a normative idea that men no longer need to be excessively tough and rugged to be considered a man. We have seen men begin to take more interest in their appearances and spend an increasing amount of time and money on clothes, skin and hair products, even taking the time to get facials or pedicures. Advertisements such as the L’Oreal “Men Expert” are not uncommon nowadays and as a society we are begin to adapt and accept metrosexuality ideals which is threatening the dominant view of hegemonic
Old Spice is responsible for reinforcing hegemonic masculine ideals with their advertisements. Through television advertising, the company has used catch phrases such as “smell like a man, man” and “the man your man could smell like.” Isaiah Amir Mustafa is well known for being the main character in a series of Old Spice commercials. Mustafa is an attractive, tall, muscular man who embodies the hegemonic masculinity that is idealized in contemporary western culture. He is dressed in a classy way that makes it safe to assume that he is part of the upper class. Also, when the scene takes place in a house, the house includes nice furniture that would appear in a mansion-like home. Throughout the campaign Mustafa is seen engaging in masculine outdoor activities such as walking on a log in the water and swan diving off of a cliff, he even appears on a yacht in one of the commercials. Another example from the commercial Questions is, “Do you want a man who smells like he can build you a gourmet cake, in the dream kitchen he built you, with his own hands?” This quote exemplifies Old Spice’s efforts to produce hegemonic masculinity by presenting a heterosexual male engaging in activities that make him a man, saying that if viewers want to be like him and smell like a man, they should buy Old Spice, Timber body …show more content…
The term masculinity is constantly re-inventing itself. As we think about how masculinity has changed since Shugart published her article in 2008, we have seen society adopt a normative idea that men no longer need to be excessively tough and rugged to be considered a man. We have seen men begin to take more interest in their appearances and spend an increasing amount of time and money on clothes, skin and hair products, even taking the time to get facials or pedicures. Advertisements such as the L’Oreal “Men Expert” are not uncommon nowadays and as a society we are begin to adapt and accept metrosexuality ideals which is threatening the dominant view of hegemonic