This is a snapshot from a recent Old Spice commercial. Old Spice has pitched “the ultimate man” for around about a year now, and studded their advertisements with professional athletes. Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, and Isaiah Mustafa (pictured) have all worked for the brand, conveying its “manly” image. In the photo we see Isaiah in a bathroom, recently showered, with Old Spice body wash. The product placement in this snapshot is subtle, not overpowering in any way. In the forefront, however, is the image of a multi-talented man, something a man sees as important to women. It seems over the top, but what do you associate Old Spice with after seeing this? The candles display the sensitivity of an Old Spice man. The chainsaw thrown over one shoulder with ease shows the brawn of the brand. The numerous, almost humorous amount of medals around his neck display the talent and the image of a winner. The bathroom itself is not of great importance, something you might find in a gym, where the man is implied to have spent a deal of time.
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ReplyDeleteI'm sure you've already realized this, but many of the ideas we talked about in class can be applied to this source. If you use the Reality vs. Fantasy binary opposition we talked about in class, the bathroom can be the reality - our dull lives - and the candles, medals, and muscular man is the fantasy that Old Spice can give us. You can also use the dark skin vs. light background as a binary opposition. People may see this and connect the light colored background to the dull look of the bathroom, and contrast that with the dark skin, and then consider whatever is dark exciting, since the opposite of light is dark and the opposite of dull is exciting. The ornate look of the candle stands may also be something to be considered. The bottle of the Old Spice soap can possibly be looked at as an anomaly - it's the only thing colored red and the placement in his bath towel is odd.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I just noticed a strand of Americanism. The Old Spice bottle is colored red, white, and blue - the same colors that make up the medals around his neck. The chainsaw could also be considered part of the strand, symbolizing the brawn and hard work people face as Americans.
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