Representation Analysis

 

Representation in media are the ways in which particular groups, communities, experiences, ideas, or topics are portrayed in the media. This is a very important topic to tackle in media as it can provide people to feel a certain way about themselves and others. In this post, I will be discussing how two advertisements use representation and how these representations could affect the people that are viewing them. 

1. Axe Advertisement 

The Axe body spray advertisement features a hoard of women, all dressed in bikini's, savagely running towards a man spraying himself with Axe body spray. The women in this commercial are all represented as young and beautiful. It features women of multiple skin tones, but they are all skinny and fit. This may make some women feel bad about themselves if they don't look like these women. The women in the advertisement are almost represented as savages, as they are shoving each other and almost competing to get to this man. This almost makes it seem like the advertisement was telling women that they should compete for a man. 

The man in this commercial is pictured as confident and happy as he is spraying himself with axe and dozens upon dozens of women are running towards him. This could make some men feel and believe that being surrounded by women will make them happy. This could even cause some men to seek out female attention just to feel good about themselves. The commercial makes it seem like if you use axe spray, women will be coming towards you left and right.

2. H&M Advertisement

The H&M advertisement represents people of all ages, gender, social class, and race. This advertisement could make people feel like no matter who they are, they could look fresh and dress in whatever way they want. It makes people feel like they can be who they want to be and not care about what other people think about the way they dress. This advertisement has a much more positive message about then the axe commercial, as it tells people to be who they are and dress in whatever way they would like to. It represents people of all kinds as dressing in whatever way they want and feeling good about themselves for it.