Blog task: Score advert and wider reading

 Blog task: Score advert and wider reading

Complete the following tasks and wider reading on the Score hair cream advert and masculinity in advertising.

Media Factsheet - Score hair cream

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #188: Close Study Product - Advertising - Score. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets. If you need to access this from home you can download it here if you use your Greenford login details to access Google Drive.

How did advertising techniques change in the 1960s and how does the Score advert reflect this change?

In the 1960s advertising went from traditional in terms of being text heavy, to being more visual and creative due to the influence of television. Ads started using humour and irony, with dramatic visuals moving away from text campaigns. Score highlights this with the striking visuals, minimal text and appeal to masculinity, in an exotic setting. This reflects 19060s move to a more visual advertising strategy. 

What representations of women were found in post-war British advertising campaigns?
Post war British advertising mostly represented women domestically and in domestic roles, women potrayed as subservient. Seen in 1950s Kellogg's cornflakes ads where women are depicted supporting and preparing meals for their male partners, reinforcing traditional gender roles. 

Conduct your own semiotic analysis of the Score hair cream advert: What are the connotations of the mise-en-scene in the image? You may wish to link this to relevant contexts too.

The mise-en-scene of the Score advert includes an exotic jungle environment, a throne, and a gun, which creates a masculine, adventurous image and connotation. The man sitting on the throne represents dominance, while the women, in bikinis, signal submission. The setting and props suggest a colonial narrative, where the male figure is shown as a ruler , reinforcing the colonial attitudes at the time of the advert. 

What does the factsheet suggest in terms of a narrative analysis of the Score hair cream advert?

The Score advert presents a narrative in which the male protagonist is depicted as the "hero," likened to a hunter. This can link to Propp's narrative theory where the male protagonist is the hero.  The narrative appeals to young male audiences who might aspire to have this masculinity and gain rewards (women).

How might an audience have responded to the advert in 1967? What about in the 2020s?
In 1967, the male audience likely viewed the advert as humorous, ironic, and aspirational, with little to no challenge to its portrayal of gender roles. Women, although not the primary audience, may have accepted the advert's representation of gender as 'normal'. In the 2020s, however, modern audiences would likely find the advert outdated and offensive, particularly in its objectification of women and reinforcement of stereotypical gender roles. Younger viewers, especially those with more progressive views, would see it as an example of past societal attitudes that no longer align with contemporary values.

How does the Score hair cream advert use persuasive techniques (e.g. anchorage text, slogan, product information) to sell the product to an audience?
The Score advert uses persuasive techniques such as minimal but direct copy, implying that using the product makes the man more attractive and desirable to women. The brand name "Score" carries connotations of success and masculinity, appealing to men’s desire for social status. The visual cues of a well-groomed man surrounded by women further suggest that the product is a tool for achieving success and dominance, a classic strategy in advertisements targeting male self-image.

How might you apply feminist theory to the Score hair cream advert - such as van Zoonen, bell hooks or Judith Butler?
According to Liesbet van Zoonen, gender is socially constructed, and the Score advert reinforces the traditional, hegemonic construction of masculinity and femininity. It objectifies women, positioning them as submissive and dependent on the male hero. bell hooks would critique the advert for its promotion of a patriarchal ideology that reinforces male dominance and female subordination. Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity can also be applied, as the advert shows both the man and the women performing their gender roles in a highly scripted and exaggerated manner, reflecting society's expectations of masculinity and femininity at the time.

How could David Gauntlett's theory regarding gender identity be applied to the Score hair cream advert?
David Gauntlett argues that media shapes and constructs identities. The Score advert plays a significant role in shaping male identity by presenting a model of masculinity where success, dominance, and sexual power are linked to the use of the product. Men viewing the advert may internalise these ideals of masculinity and feel pressured to conform to them. The portrayal of women as objects further reinforces the gender identity that the ad seeks to construct for both men and women in the 1960s.

What representation of sexuality can be found in the advert and why might this link to the 1967 decriminalisation of homosexuality (historical and cultural context)?
The Score advert reinforces heterosexual male sexuality through the depiction of women as sexual objects for male gratification. This links to the 1967 decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK, as the advert can be seen as a response to the societal anxieties around shifting sexual norms. The emphasis on masculine heterosexuality could be seen as a way of reinforcing traditional gender roles and heteronormative ideals during a time when sexual identities were beginning to be more openly discussed and challenged.

How does the advert reflect Britain's colonial past - another important historical and cultural context?
The exotic jungle setting, the gun, and the throne in the Score advert all invoke colonial imagery, suggesting that the male figure is a ruler or conqueror. This reflects the lingering influence of Britain's colonial past, where Western masculinity was often portrayed as dominant over other cultures. The image of the white male hero surrounded by subservient women in an exotic setting echoes the colonial narrative of Western superiority and control, a reminder of how these ideas were embedded in the media during this period.