Clearasil For Men
Source: 'Men’s Health' May 2005
What: advertising Clearasil face wash and body products
Audience: teenagers to young men
How is Popular culture represented?
Popular culture is represented through the visual technique of and image and photos. The photo creates a focal point for the advertisement, which directly focuses n a man performing an aerial stunt on a wakeboard. This picture represents sport as an element of popular culture. This element is also emphasised by the grey image of a motorbike rider performing a difficult stunt on a motorbike, in the background. This image is placed to subtly emphasise the element of sport, whilst the colours of red, grey, and black appeal to the male audience. Sport as an important element of popular culture is also represented at the bottom of the advertisement, in a series of four photographs. Two of the photographs depict difficult aerial stunts. These photographs are used basically to place emphasise on sport, as the focal point for the advertisement.
Why is popular culture represented?
In this case, popular culture is used as a specific persuasive tool, to catch the reader’s attention, and to sell the specific product. As this advertisement was found in a men’s magazine, popular culture is represented specially to appeal to that particular audience. Sport is a very male dominated element of popular culture in Australia, and the composer uses this to their advantage. The large aerial stunt is used to draw their eyes to the ad, as this is quite a spectacular photo.
The opening paragraph of the advertisement also interests the reader, as it expands and explains the other or image, and builds on the interest of the reader.
This advertisement uses the element of sport in popular culture to sell the men’s skincare products, because by using the persuasive power of sport in a male dominated audience, they successfully link ‘cool’ and ‘awesome’ stunts and sports with their product.
Also, in a stereotypically homophobic society, the composer uses the ‘male’ infused nature of the advertisement to sell the proclaimed ‘metro sexual’ skincare products.
Impacts on audience:
This adds also successfully represents popular culture to sell a specific product. However, this advertisement places particular stress on the importance of sport. This is not a negative aspect, as sport should be part of every healthy lifestyle. This is especially important in Australia, as Australia is now classified as the second fattest nation on the planet.
This adds also places subtle stress on the importance of body image. Unlike women’s fashion magazines, this advertisement doesn’t use a beautiful model to sell skincare products, but essentially it is doing the same thing. This ad simply caters towards a different audience. Advertising a “face fix trailer” just shows how body image is a crucial element in today’s society, even for the male population.