CO383: ANALYSIS OF GENDER AND RACE IN A COMMERCIAL
DIRECTIONS: Please choose one commercial that features one or more individuals, either real or animated in form.
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Watch the commercial with detail and depth, and be sure to address the following:
What product/service is this commercial advertising?
What is the context of the commercial? Describe briefly what happens in the commercial.
How many people appear in the commercial?
If applicable, explain the racial breakdown of the individuals in the commercial.
If applicable, explain the gender breakdown of the individuals in the commercial.
Explain the activities of each individual in the commercial.
Contextualize with 2 outside sources. For example, your source may address issues of gender and/or race in commercials, may be an article or website that critiques your specific commercial, or the general focus of your commercial(makeup, automotives, clothing, cleaners, fast food, etc.)
Next, interpret the gender and racial/ethnic messages of each commercial.
How are gender roles being reinforced or rewritten for men? How are men portrayed?
How are gender roles being reinforced or rewritten for women? How are women portrayed?
How is sexuality defined in this commercial? Are they heteronormative or no? Explain.
How is “sex” being used to sell the product or service?
What are the implications for the way in which gender is interpreted and represented in your commercial?
How are the individuals of each race/ethnicity being depicted in the commercial in terms of a leading role or secondary role in the commercial? *For example, if the ad is for a car, and there are multiple people in the commercial, who plays the lead role in the ad? A white person or a person of color?
How are racial/ethnic stereotypes being reinforced or rewritten? *For example, is the sexy Latina stereotype being reinforced in the commercial, or does the ad depict Latinas in ways that are not stereotypical?
What dominant message about race/ethnicity might the viewer take away from this commercial?(The commercial may have nothing at all to do with the racial identity of the people featured in it, but communicates a message about race nonetheless.)
In what ways is the portrayal of gender and/or race representing some individuals and excluding/alienating others? That is, what could the advertisers have done differently to be more inclusive in its representation?
From a Communication perspective, what is the value of taking a critical look at the commercials within a culture that are often widely disseminated across multiple media platforms?