Stereotypes In Advertisements By Dolce & Gabbana

Brands that sell clothing and apparel tend to showcase their items by promising unrealistic outcomes that stem directly from buying their products, such as becoming instantly attractive, or suddenly gaining a powerful appearance. Thus, most of the ads for these brands portray a person or a situation that seems ideal to the consumer, pursuing them to buy the article being portrayed in the ad. In a world where ads are found in every corner, these marketing techniques prove to be profitable to the brands and companies that adopt them. This ad by Dolce & Gabbana seems to do just that. All it seemingly does is sell striking clothes by showcasing them on the bodies of four white, slim females, as most ads tend to do. However, one might think this

He is portrayed in a highly submissive state. One of the ways in which it is obvious is in his physical position relative to the females. While all four of the females are standing up, denoting status and power, he is seen kneeling on the floor next to two of the ladies. Also, although he is being held down, neither his facial features nor his body show any signs of struggle against it. In addition, he’s wearing a chain around his neck, suggesting sexual submission to the females. The chain around his neck is also an example of objectification, as it is reminiscent of a collar on a pet, implying that the man is the female’s property. Furthermore, he is the least dressed out of the five people in the ad, wearing only pants in contrast to the females surrounding him. Although the women are questionably fully clothed, the man is clearly half naked, giving him an air of vulnerability. To add to his semblance of weakness, the man’s body is completely hairless. Based on the social standards reinforced by this kind of ad, hairless men are less masculine, thus reinforcing the fact that the man is portrayed in a submissive position relative to the females. Moreover, one of the models holding the man has her hand wrapped around man’s belt, which depicts a vulgar sexual image of sexual offense. What better way to sell clothing and apparel than by showcasing and encouraging

The women far outnumber the man, as the ad presents four females and only one man. Additionally, the man is in rather poor condition compared to them. They wear exquisite white clothing, along with white shoes and socks or leg warmers. This clothing, the item the ad is originally looking to sell, represents sophistication, wealth, and status; the clothes further the air of omnipotence that surrounds the females in the ad. The color palette of their feminine clothes, white with hints of beige and silver, denotes an aura of innocence and purity. Two of these refined, untainted females are holding down the man, one of them even pulling him towards her by his belt to further demonstrate her authority. They also hold severe facial expressions that portray a certain disdain towards the male. The other two women in the ad are simply walking past nonchalantly, minding their own business as their two other friends have fun with their recently acquired male specimen. While this ad is reversing the roles of a previously set social standard, it is also dehumanizing men and placing women within the mindset that men are often critiqued for