My change of the perfume line’s name to “UNFORGIVABLE TEMPTRESS” centers around the fact in which the woman warrants punishment as a supposed temptress in the eyes of men and others who would defend the sexual advances and assault of women based on perceived invitations through qualities or appearances women possess. The tagline “[y]ou asked for it” specifically addresses the male perspective and the male gaze, especially when it comes to unwanted advances. Sean John, the creator of this perfume line, is specifically selling his fragrance for women through an obviously flawed male understanding of how women are valued and judged worthy as a person solely through their sex appeal. Additionally, he views this irresistible quality of sex appeal and justification for sexual advances and punishment as a wanted result for using this product, where women should want to be punished. By combining these two elements with my final edited message text to “let male pleasure define your worth”, I have clarified the underlying, implied message of the original ad. The male gaze and the objectification of women as objects of desire and women being sold a highly sexualized view of their worth in society as simply existing and valued through the amount of male pleasure they can accumulate and garner to define their worth through their bodies are all issues incorporated into the seemingly innocuous perfume advertisement, which dresses these messages to women in an insidiously neat, attractive package of benefits through this luxury item. Lastly, my use of a bleaker, blurred background color is giving the impression of the unwanted advance and uncomfortable truth of this particular situation, far beyond the rosy, warm color of the original. In contrast to the warmth of the original background color of the ad which implies intimacy and comfort, the bleaker background color of my edited version evokes discomfort and a harsher quality to the viewing experience, communicating the appropriate harsh reality of such encounters.

This ad of Sean John’s “Unforgivable Woman” perfume for women implies a very degrading way for women to gain value by seeking out “passion” from men, leading to not only perpetuating women as objects of desire in which they must attract the attention of men, but also value themselves based on male pleasure they can receive and arouse through their own female bodies. The name “Unforgivable Woman” further creates a narrative which can be connected to rape culture, where many sexual assaults are excused as women deserving of punishment for tempting or teasing males with their apparently irresistible and sinful appearance. Furthermore, the woman in the ad appears to be intoxicated and uncomfortable with the presence of the man and is in a vulnerable position. By selling this image of a vulnerable woman who must be punished for her “unforgivable” and irresistible quality, as well as delivering message in which women must not devote themselves to a “life without passion is unforgivable” to men, the ad is selling this idea of women’s value relying on male pleasure, where they are deserving of punishment for not letting themselves be subjected to male pleasure. The warm color of the background also somehow contributes to the viewing of this particular ad as intimate and personal, where it shows the end result of becoming desirable as a result of wearing this perfume, where men would not be able to keep themselves from their own lust and sexual behavior. As a result, the woman is to accept all advances and punishment for using this product to increase her apparent allure, even if it is an unintended effect and unwanted advance, making her more valuable. Therefore, my edited version of this ad will be addressing the specific issue of sexual assault and the product’s message centering around women’s definition of worth.

ad photo from: http://www.lebook.com/lacreative/creative/sean-john-unforgivable-advertising-2008