Media and Male Body Image

Now it is no longer only women who have body image issues as men are bombarded with images of the ideal body type, which they aspire to but is out of reach for most (Ricciardelli, Clow and White 2010).  They worry about not being muscular enough, too much body fat, the size of their penis and hair loss.  This is known as the Adonis complex. 

The mesomorph body type is often portrayed as the ideal body type by men's magazines.  The ectomorph is often featured in clothing advertisements as clothes fit this body type better.  The endomorph is rarely on show in the media (apart from the before shot, pre-diet and exercise) even although it would be the most common body shape amongst men.

Jason Statham

If you take a look at Men's Health magazine website, you will be confronted with articles such as 24 hours to a 6 pack, burn fat with morning stretches and beat hair loss.  All of these project to the male reader what he should look like or what he should be aspiring to look like.  The focus is very much on appearance and the celebrity male is often portrayed as having the ideal body type.  The Men's Health article '10 Hollywood muscle workouts' shows the reader how they too can accomplish a mesomorphic body like Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter or Gerard Butler in 300.  Furthermore, advertising in these magazines include this so-called ideal body type, for example, Abercrombie & Fitch are known for their advertisements featuring nearly naked muscular men.  

Abercrombie & Fitch advertisement

Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter

Gerard Butler, 300

George Clooney (in Armani) and girlfriend Stacey Keibler (in Marchesa), Oscars 2012

A study was conducted last year, which found that 80.7% of men talk about their and other male bodies (the inverted male gaze has developed, in other words, the male gaze is no longer limited to women but extends to men looking at other men (Patterson and Elliott 2002)), which leads to them being dissatisfied with their own body.  Furthermore, 35% of men would happily die a year earlier in exchange for their ideal body.  This can, as it has for some time for women, "contribute to clinical issues ranging from low self-esteem to Body Dysmorphic Disorder" (Ricciardelli, Clow and White 2010 p.73). 

Men aspire to look like these film stars but also aspire to their lifestyle in general such as fashion and grooming and this is reflected in the magazines.  For example, the cover of GQ magazine below features Ryan Gosling who is going to show the reader how to dress like a movie star.  The message is that "fashion [is] promoted as the key to financial success." (Ricciardelli, Clow and White 2010 p.75) 

 

This increased interest in fashion has led to London Collections: Men (LC: M) launching in June and will involve three full days showcasing men's fashion.

"The male body is subject to a continuous scrutiny - it is objectified, exploited and monitored" (Boni 2002 p.467).  The media encourages men to treat their body as a project (Patterson and Elliott 2002) to work on "through buying products and services [in order that] a man can change his embodied self and, thus make himself into the man he wants to be" (Ricciardelli, Clow and White 2010 p.74). 

H&M Red Carpet Conscious Collection

Following on from the Bafta Awards 2012 and ethical fashion post (13/02/12), H&M launched its red carpet conscious collection today.  The fast fashion retailer has produced clothing, which is made from organic cotton, hemp and recycled polyester. The prices range from £7.99 to £199.99, however, the majority of clothes are £19.99 or under.

The retailer has utilised celebrities to endorse the range by wearing the garments on the red carpet, thereby increasing awareness and encouraging consumers to purchase ethical fashion.

Michelle Williams, Oscars 2012

  

Amanda Seyfried, In Time London premiere

Kristin Davis, Vanity Fair event

Viola Davis, Santa Barbara Film Festival

Consumers tend to purchase non-ethical fashion over ethical fashion for several reasons, including it being viewed as unfashionable and expensive.  Joergens (2006) found that "price is the most decisive factor" (p.363) and found that participants "did not perceive the [ethical] garments illustrated as stylish or fashionable" (p.364). 

However, the conscious collection is both fashionable and affordable in addition to being ethical.  The collection is ethical glamour on a budget bringing ethical fashion to the mass market. 

By a well known retailer offering ethical collections, it raises consumer awareness of the ethics behind clothing.  As the diagram below shows ethical personal products (which also included cosmetics) only accounted for 4.1% of ethical consumerism in 2011 but this could increase significantly if other retailers follow in H&M's footsteps.  

Ethical Consumerism in the UK by sector by value (%), 2011 (Key Notes)

  

However, Black (2008) stated that a Cambridge university survey found that consumers in 2008 purchased one third more clothes than in 2004 (p.14). Such clothing is discarded after just a few wears perhaps even after one wear and heads to landfill.  Fast fashion also relies on cheap labour.  Therefore it could be argued that ethical fast fashion is an oxymoron.  

Tweens, Fashion and Celebrity

On Saturday, in Los Angeles, the 25th annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2012 took place.  The awards show is aimed at the viewers of Nickelodeon, which is primarily tweens, with their favourite stars of film, television and music walking down the orange carpet.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with this term, tweens are generally aged anywhere between 6 and 12.  They are essentially any child who is in a hurry to grow up, in other words, they are teenagers before their time.

Some of their favourite film stars including Emma Stone, Kristen Stewart and Selena Gomez made an appearance on the orange carpet at the awards show.  Tween girls aspire to look and dress like their favourite stars and the marketing industry seeks to profit from this.

Emma Stone in Antonio Berardi 

Kristen Stewart in Stella McCartney

Selena Gomez in Dolce and Gabbana

In the 21st century, the marketing industry began to target tweens, as they have money to spend more so than any other generation did at their age (Lindstrom 2004 p.1), they influence their parents when making purchasing decisions (Lindstrom 2004 p.2) and to access customers early on in their lives in the hope that if they catch them young they can hold onto them.

The marketing industry encourages tweens to grow up quickly (the industry uses the acronym KAGOY (kids are getting older younger)) with the use of a strategy called "age up" (Castleberry and Merrier 2008) which involves selling fashion items which appear to be aimed at teenagers when in fact it is for tweens who want to appear 'cool'.  This, marketers know has and will continue to make them a considerable amount of money.  However, it has led to controversial clothing, such as padded bras and swimwear being sold in Primark, Abercrombie Kids and Asda amongst others, which parents argue are not age appropriate and has seen the launch of the Let Girls be Girls Campaign. 

There has also been much controversy about the use of child models in the fashion industry including 10 year old, Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau in French Vogue and the message this sends to tween girls.

Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau, French Vogue, December 2010

On the one hand, it could be argued that fashion brands, magazines and marketing executives are to blame for the premature sexualisation of tween girls.  On the other hand, the blame could be placed on the celebrities, who tweens idolise, for being inappropriate role models.

Celebrity Culture

The world today is obsessed with celebrity from what they are wearing to whose dating who.  People flock to the cinema, read about their favourite stars in celebrity gossip magazines and watch the premieres and festivals admiring the glamour especially the dresses as was witnessed with the recent Titanic 3D and The Hunger Games premieres.

Kate Winslet in Jenny Packham, Titanic 3D premiere, London

Elizabeth Banks in Bill Blass, The Hunger Games Premiere, London 

Jennifer Lawrence in Prabal Gurung, The Hunger Games Premiere, Los Angeles

        

There are two schools of thought on celebrity.  On the one hand, some theorists view celebrity as cultural decline.  Boorstin (1987) falls within this camp as already discussed in the Berlin Film Festival 2012 post (19/02/12).  On the other hand, other theorists view celebrity as populist democracy stating celebrity culture has resulted in social levelling as anyone can now become famous regardless of their background.  Consequently, they argue, it is no longer only white male aristocrats who are famous.  This has led to more women than ever before becoming famous actresses but with this has come the focus on their weight and appearance, rather than their acting ability, which has led to body image issues.

Rojek (2001) explains our obsession with all things celebrity as being due to the decline of religion and magic.  He argues that the majority of people in the Western world no longer go to church but are united in their opinions on celebrities and view them as God like.

Fans desperate to reach out to George Clooney at The Oscars

Do you enjoy the glamour of the red carpet viewing it as escapism and view film stars as God like and aspire to be the next big thing?  Or do you agree with Boorstin that these people and associated events represent cultural decline?

Women's Magazines - Friend or Foe?

A new blog written by women for women called Vagenda  is gaining a lot of media attention.  It claims to be feminism with humour, taking a stand against women's magazines.  One such magazine is Grazia.  They claim it hinders rather than helps women.  One example is the continuous message that a woman cannot be single and happy whereas men move on.  Their target at the moment appears to be film star, Demi Moore who they insist on describing as "tragic" and how she is "obsessive" about getting her husband back to the point of having a breakdown in the 6th February 2012 issue.  In the same issue, it states how Heidi Klum's marriage to Seal failed due to her success.  Thereby making women believe they cannot be both successful and have a relationship.

Demi Moore on the red carpet with her daughter Rumer at Cinema for Peace benefit

Another message from Grazia to its readers is you cannot have a career and be a mother and do both well.  This is implied from the cover below with Sarah Jessica Parker.  Furthermore, last year, Grazia tweeted what is better a rich husband or a career?  Perhaps suggesting women do not need a career just a rich husband!  Essentially, the message is as long as you have a man everything will be okay! 

Vagenda also argues that these women's magazines only portray one body type - thin.  Therefore, implying other body types are unwanted resulting in women suffering from body image issues and low self esteem.  Not only this but these magazines promote cosmetic surgery as a way of eliminating these body issues they have helped create in the first place.

There are two current types of feminism - third wave and post-feminism.  Third wave feminists want to be treated equally to men.  Post-feminists believe that women are equal now and can do as they please and this tends to focus on women as consumers.  Which category do you think women's magazines fall into?

Let's take Cosmopolitan magazine, which Vagenda criticises for only discussing men, sex, fashion and beauty giving the impression that this is all that its readers should care about.  It tends to fall into the post feminism category as does Sex and the City:

"Sex and the City is able to exploit fully the glossy women's magazines' consumerist approach to sexuality, in which women's sexual pleasure and agency is frankly encouraged as part of a consumer lifestyle and attitude." (Arthurs 2003 p.85)

However, in Cosmopolitan's defence it is currently promoting its F Word campaign which is demanding equal pay for women which falls into third wave feminism.



So according to women's magazines, we have a choice to make so which is it going to be, a rich husband and children or a career?  Or stop buying these magazines?

The Portrayal of Women in Movies

When you go to the cinema to watch a movie, do you notice if women play an active role?  The bechdel test sets criteria to analyse whether a movie falls into this category as follows:

* is there two or more women?
* who speak to one another?
* about something other than men?
* for more than 60 seconds?

This does not make a film feminist, it is just the minimum required to classify a film as featuring active roles for women.  This has been brought about as women tend to be "the window dressing: girlfriends and sidekicks" (Silverstein 2011) or are talking about men.  More information is provided in the video clip below.

One issue is that many movies portray women in a stereotypical manner, in other words, as keen to meet a man, settle down and have babies as depicted in the romantic comedies think Bridget Jones, Sex and the City or any Jennifer Aniston movie.  There is little or no reference to women and their friendships (and where there is they only speak about men thus failing the bechdel test), their work and their families.

  

Carrie and Big, just married in Sex and the City movie

 

Women as consumers is another key concept in films such as Sex and the City and Confessions of a Shopaholic.  Essentially films (and television shows) depict women as only really caring about men, babies and shopping.

Isla Fisher in Confessions of a Shopaholic 

Kristen Davis in Sex and the City Movie

In addition, the concept of 'male gaze' has been discussed as part of feminist film theory.  This is the idea that films tend to be shown from the male perspective, viewing women through a man's eyes as sex objects, rather than from a female perspective or as Helen Mirren phrases it when she says that the film industry is worshipping "at the altar of the 18 to 25 year old male and his penis."  For example, the advertisement below for Les Infideles has caused so much controversy that it has been withdrawn due to portraying women in a demeaning manner. 



Cameron Diaz in Bad Teacher

Jessica Simpson in Dukes of Hazzard

A hugely debated topic is that women are viewed as past their prime at 40, in the movie industry, if not sooner whereas men are more in demand once they hit 40.  Think Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Tom Cruise and the list goes on.  However, think of women over 40 and ask yourself what has happened to Meg Ryan and Michelle Pfeiffer?  The only time you hear of Demi Moore now is in relation to her failed marriage to Ashton Kutcher depicting her as a sad and desperate woman and focusing on the fact that she is approaching 50, no mention of her as an actress and any upcoming roles.  However, Meryl Streep won best actress this year at the Oscars for her role in The Iron Lady at the age of 62, however, it could be argued that a young actress was never going to play the role of Margaret Thatcher.

It is not only how women are portrayed in the films, which is a cause for concern but women behind the scenes are few and far between.  Nevertheless, Bridesmaids was written by women and it is viewed from a female perspective, nevertheless, it was produced and directed by men.  Celluloid Ceiling figures for the top 250 US films produced in 2011 stated that women only made up 5% of Hollywood directors, which is a decrease of 2% from 2010.  More importantly, in 1998, the figure was higher at 7%.  So from the director perspective, things are not improving in fact they are getting worse for women!  Moreover, Kathryn Bigelow was the first woman to win best director at the Oscars and this only happened in 2010! 

Another consideration is that women are paid less than their male counterparts (Silverstein 2011) with Leonardo Di Caprio, who topped the Forbes chart for 2011, having been paid $77m compared to the highest earning actress, Angelina Jolie at $35m (only 45.5% of Leonardo's earnings). 

So next time you watch a movie, apply the Bechdel criteria, analyse if women are portrayed in a stereotypical manner and whether the film is viewed from a male or female perspective.

Dead Celebrities Endorsing Brands

My Week with Marilyn was released on DVD yesterday in America and will be available in the UK on Friday.  Marilyn Monroe is one of the most iconic movie stars of all time, even although this year marks the 50th anniversary of her death. The Marilyn brand (the licensing rights to her branded image were bought by Authentic Brands Group LLC in 2011) is about to go into overdrive.  Not only is there the film, there is a television show called Smash beginning next month, a London exhibition of costumes she wore and photographs, she is the official face of the 65th Cannes Film Festival, she has launched her own Twitter and Facebook accounts, there are rumours of Marilyn actually staring in a movie, Marilyn cafes, MAC are releasing a Marilyn range in October and apparently there are clothing and home lines in the pipeline.  The list goes on and on. 

Marilyn Monroe is not only now a brand herself, but due to her continuing popularity, marketers are keen for her to endorse their products even in death!  A key example of this is the Dior J'Adore advertisement below.  This also featured other dead celebrities (or 'delebs' as they have become known) Grace Kelly (there is now rumoured to be an upcoming movie about Grace Kelly with Nicole Kidman rumoured to be playing the lead role) and Marlene Dietrich. 

There are many advantages and disadvantages to using a dead celebrity to endorse a brand.  It could be argued that to use a dead celebrity to endorse your brand is a good strategic move as they will not charge you the now extortionate fees living stars charge and there are no concerns about what the celebrity might do to damage the brand's reputation.  However, is it in bad taste to use a person who died 50 years ago in this way?  Perhaps if she had only died recently then it would be condemned. If Whitney Houston suddenly appeared in an advertisement for Dior today, there would almost certainly be a backlash. However, the public appear more willing to accept the likes of Marilyn, Grace and Marlene appearing on their TV screen. This is perhaps because they all died some time ago and many viewers would not have been born when these celebrities were alive or were too young at the time to remember them. 

Marilyn at an awards ceremony in 1953

There is an ongoing debate about introducing a law (similar to California) which would create "publicity rights for dead celebrities whose names, voices, signatures, photographs or likenesses had commercial value at the time of their death." They could then bequeath these rights to their heirs and the rights would expire after 70 years.  This could raise problems for brands wishing to use the image of deceased stars.  However, would Marilyn herself have approved?  She was famously quoted as saying "What do I wear in bed? Why Chanel No.5, of course" not Dior.  Chanel is still associated with Marilyn thanks to this comment.  Also digitally altering her onto the advertisement has made her eyes look odd and that she certainly would not approve of! 

Marilyn and Chanel No.5

Do you think it is possible for a dead celebrity's image to be sold and to respect their memory?  Or is everyone just out to make money irrespective of whether the deceased star would have approved?  If so, would a new law protecting their publicity rights be a wise move?  Has our love of celebrity gone too far and become morbid?