Than and Now

Georgia – These two advertisements were in a special advertising section in Maxim for 100 Years in Neon, Las Vega’s centennial celebration. These ads are advertising two resorts and casinos in Vegas, one from around 100 years ago and one from now. The ad is basically connotes the fun that is had in Vegas. This ad also demonstrates how women have changed in the past century.

We’ll call the black and white ad the “before” advertisement since black and white connotes the past or something old. The before ad clearly represents ideal women of the early 1900’s. They look like the Gibson Girl with their well-off clothes, white skin, fine features, stylized hair and their thin and tall looking bodies. These women are much like the images that women were exposed to at the time which lead to the standardization of beauty icons. They all look very similar which shows that they all looked to visual media for clues on how they should look. They all look fairly young as an emphasis was put on women to look carefree and youthful.

These woman in the before ad are enjoying themselves and look independent since they are with a group of women with no men. Men are not represented in this ad, they are only meant to look at it. The male gaze is evident in this ad because the woman are displayed in their (at the time) sexy bathing suits. They are posed sexually with an inviting smile which invites the male gaze. They are there to be looked at. The women have to-be-looked-at-ness, meaning they exist for men to look at as a sexual object. I think men would have pleasure in looking at these objects…I mean women.

George – You’re right. The women look very inviting with their smiles. Their different bathing suits give them personality and their poses are sexually inviting. It’s as if I could walk up to one of these women and engage in a conversation leading to bigger and better activities in the future. At the same time, these women could be a tease so I may just get pleasure in scopophilia. From looking at this ad I’m a voyeur, a spectator that can see but is not seen. I can look at these women as sexual objects and gaze at them for pleasure. They are meant to be looked at. Since this picture is obviously a still frame, I do not see weakness or passivity in these women and therefore I’m not sure if I would try and pursue these women if I was in this picture.

Georgia – The women look relaxed but at the same time they are posed perfectly with full make-up and a conscious effort of the placement of each part of their body. Not only are these women on display for men, they are willingly flirting and it looks as if they are looking for a man. They are with their girlfriends to pick up men…they’re main goal…to get a man.

George – Moving on to the “now” ad, the way that the women are represented is quite different, but than again men are also represented in this ad.

In the before ad the women are beside the pool. The now ad contains a lot more action with the women in the pool. The women look very playful as they’re play fighting. I definitely notice their smaller bikinis. They are showing a lot more skin which is a good thing. They should be free and happy with their bodies. The women have their hair down which signifies that they are carefree and have let down their guard. They look very approachable and tons of fun!

Georgia – This ad is definitely very different from the last. Women are freer than they were in the early 1900’s. They have improved their stance and opportunities in the world of work which gives them superiority at times and an almost equal stance amoung men since the average woman still earns less money than a man working at the same job. None the less, women have come a long way~ The feminist movements throughout the past century have helped women gain a better stance amoung men.
For example, the women in this ad would not be criticized for what they’re wearing but 100 years ago this would be not acceptable.

Is it a good thing that these women aren’t wearing much and totally showing off their bodies? That’s up to personal opinion. Regardless they are subjecting themselves to the male gaze. The way they are carrying themselves is very inviting to men.

This ad is very different from the before ad because this one includes the representation of men. The other women looked as if they were looking for a man, but these women already have them. The women are sitting on the men’s shoulders connoting their need for the man’s assistance. This ad is more interactive as the women and men are all tied together through their interactions.

George – A man needs a woman and a woman needs a man. This ad shows both parts of the scale. The men are holding onto the women signifying their need and desire for them. The women sitting on top of the men could actually signify their need and want to be on top of the gender hierarchy. Since men are most often put above women, the women are depicted in this ad to be above men. I think that is the biggest difference between this ad and the last. Also, this ad contains men.

Georgia – Yes, and the men along with the women are very ideally depicted. The men are all white, handsome, buff, well-built, and very good-looking! Since these ads are from Maxim, these men put stress on the male readers to have bodies like these men. This ad connotes that a man needs a nice body to get good-looking, thin women.

George – This ad does put pressure on men as well as on women since ideal body types are displayed as desirable. One difference in this ad that sets it apart from the others is the inclusion of one African-American woman. Even though there is an African-American woman depicted, she is one amoung six white people. She is very out numbered and like the other women, she has an ideal body.

Georgia – Overall, so far we have seen men depicted as buff, white, and handsome while the majority of women have been white, thin, and beautiful!