Blog Assignment due 2/8/2010

Blog Assignment due 2/8/2010

Taking a Second Look

In the upcoming weeks, we will continue discussing the influence of the media in people’s everyday lives. This assignment is to reflect on how popular media cultivates (or does not cultivate) a racist, sexist, ageist, lookist, classist, or homophobic culture.

Using an internet add of your choice, write a 500-word response on the ad provided. Use the following questions to guide your response, but do not merely answer these questions. Remember that you are expected to conduct an analysis of this image and not merely describe it. Use of the course texts to inform your analysis is required (at least two cited sources from the readings). A link or scanned image of your add must be included in the posting.

You must also respond to atleast one other students' blog posting by 2/10/2010.

Questions:

1. How are the people in the ad positioned? Are some passive while others are active? Who is portrayed as passive?

2. How does this add affect our ability to feel good about ourselves and our bodies?

3. Is this ad realistic?

4. What is this add trying to sell? Is it selling the product or something else?

5. Are different types of women portrayed in the ad? If so how are they portrayed the same or differently.

6. Is this a positive or negative representation of women?

7. How does this relate to “isms”- i.e. is this add racist, ageist, ect.

8. Does this woman look like you? Do you often see women that look like you in ads?

9. How is the body positioned? Are there body parts missing or dismembered?

10. Is the woman (or women) in the add smiling?