Hypermasculinity

Hypermasculinity in advertising

Hypermasculinity is defined as: a psychological term for the exaggeration of male stereotypical behaviour, such as an emphasis on physical strength, aggression, and sexuality.

Advertising in the 1950s-1980s often featured a hypermasculine representation of men – and some representations in the media today still continue this.

Gelfer: Changing masculinity in advertising

Joseph Gelfer, a director of masculinity research, suggests that the way masculinity is represented in advertising is changing. Looking at advertising over the last 20 years:

“Previously, masculinity was mostly presented in one of two ways: either a glamorous James Bond-style masculinity that attracted ‘the ladies’, or a buffoon-style masculinity that was firmly under the wifely thumb. 

Thankfully, and somewhat belatedly, things are beginning to change.” (Gelfer, 2017)

Gelfer: Five stages of Masculinity

Gelfer suggests there are five stages of masculinity – how people perceive and understand what it means to be a man.

Stage 1: “unconscious masculinity” – traditional view of men

Stage 2: “conscious masculinity” – as above but deliberate

Stage 3: “critical masculinities” – feminist; socially constructed

Stage 4: “multiple masculinities” – anyone can be anything

Stage 5: “beyond masculinities” – it doesn’t exist 

Gelfer says advertisers need to think about how their target audience views men and masculinity when creating campaigns.

Questions on score:

1) What year was the advert produced and why is the historical context important?

1967 can be seen as a period of change in the UK with legislation on (and changing attitudes to) the role of women – and men – in society. Produced in the year of decriminalisation of homosexuality and three years before the 1970 Equal Pay Act, the representation of gender could be read as signalling more anxiety than might first appear. 

2) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the advert (CLAMPS): how is costume, make-up and placement of models constructed to show male dominance?

The mans clothing (army) and props (gun) represent the man as a hero whereas the women's clothing is minimum and as they are positioned lower then the man they are highlighted as his and at his services. 

3) The main slogan is: 'Get what you've always wanted'. What does this suggest to the audience and how does it reflect the social and cultural context of 1967?

That it will get you women. As a result objectifying women in a society when women rights was coming to the forefront. 


4) Why is it significant that the advert text says it is "made by men" and that it also contains "Score's famous masculine scent”?

It appeals to the masculine male as you get what they call the masculine scent as well as implying that being made by a man they now what a man needs and it has been made well.

5) What representation of sexuality can be found in the advert?

The mise en scene of the women's clothing can be represented as sexually appealing to the man as there is a minimum amount of clothing.