References
The Cult Box. “Apocalypse Now (1979) – original extended trailer”. Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 15 January 2011. Web. 5 April 2016.
Usama Alshaibi. “Trump Builds The Wall”. Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 5 March 2016. Web. 5 April 2016.
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Original Ad
Levis jeans are most well known denim brand in the world. They are associated with fashion, durability and were the first company to design jeans specifically for women in 1934. From that point on Levis has marketed jeans for women and men, usually referencing freedom, hard work, function, style and fit to all genders. Today the ads have shifted to try and appeal to a wider range of women with a variety of sizes and body types. The original ad here shows three women lying in a field, the only visible part of the body is their lower backside areas and a slogan saying “Hotness comes in all shapes and sizes”. The slogan itself does not pose any specific problem other then it is making reference to women needing or trying to look “hot”. The main problem with this ad is the photo and the meaning behind the slogan. I think the ad is trying to say that women of all body types and clothing sizes should be considered beautiful or “hot”, but the picture is displaying three women of relatively the same size wearing the jeans. These three women are not only the same size, but they are also a very small size, likely a 2 or a 4 engraining the idea that small is more beautiful. The slogan and the photo are very contradictory in this advertisement and sends a very mixed message to its viewers. Every women should feel beautiful but not every women is beautiful enough to be included in this advertisement. I think this is something we see time and time again in today’s society, the reenforcement that women are all beautiful no matter what, but smaller women are more beautiful and they are the ones we continue to see in clothing advertisements. Although, I think this is slowly changing, especially with plus-size models like Ashley Graham being include in the Sports Illustrated swim suit edition, but it is still a major issue in our society and how women feel about themselves.
Culture Jam Ad
I took the original advertisement and I wanted to break it down to its true meaning and what the picture is clearly demonstrating. Using I Photo I blurred the word “all” and both the “s”‘ to make the slogan singular. Then I copied and pasted a “O” “N” and “E” so it said “one” instead of “all” so it says “Hotness comes in one shape and size”. I think this really eliminates the mixed message of the ad and makes it clear what the company really believes is beautiful. Obviously Levis was not willing to use full figured models to make there ad more diverse, so I think by changing the slogan I have matched up the meaning of the slogan with the picture, and uncovered what the deeper meaning of this advertisement is. I am hoping to portray that actions speak louder then words, you can say one thing and really mean another, which is exactly what the original ad is doing by using three slim models. Until you actually take the initiative to link your words with your actions, the words can be misleading and shallow. If Levis had included three models of noticeably different sizes and body types, then maybe the slogan and the photo would match up better together. This issue is also very specific to women, men’s advertisements would not typically have this type of photo or slogan. Women are faced with a lot of pressure to look a certain way and unfortunately this Levis advertisement is only reenforcing those pressures.
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