Semiotic Analysis of Masculinity in Palmolive Men Advertising

1 CMM19 Image, Text and Culture Assessment Two: Analytical Report Semiotic Analysis of Palmolive Men Deep Clean Shower Gel Product Text By Nicola Scott Griffith SID: s5083596 Open Universities SID: 1077160

2 Signs and Sign Systems The text refers to the paradigms of masculinity and heterosexual relationships, “a set of signs, from which any given sign is drawn to produce meaning (Study Guide CMM19 2020, p. 31)”. This is supported by the combinations of signs, the syntagm, that are present within the text (Study Guide CMM19 2020, p. 29). Specifically, the young naked male figure positioned under a shower head that is running with water, the lights around his body, the slogan “forever fresh” in the centre of the text, the block of text in the top-right corner “When it comes to his skin, trust Palmolive to help keep him fresh and feeling good all day” and “help your man lift his game”, and the image of the Palmolive Men Deep Clean Slower gel product. Interesting, the text also refers to the paradigm of gender roles within heterosexual relationships through the mode of address and binary oppositions. The text positions the female within a heterosexual relationship as it’s addressed through the written signifiers “When it comes to his skin, trust Palmolive to help keep him fresh and feeling good all day” and “help your man lift his game.” In doing so, it reinforces the stereotype that women are primarily the domestic partner, in addition to any other role that they may play in the relationship. It also indicates that women play a significant role in rectifying or improving their partner’s manhood, and thus their relationship, through body grooming and presentation. Additionally, the binary oppositions of masculine/feminine and dirty/clean presented in the text signifies that masculine identity is constructed from women’s expectations; that men must engage in grooming to remain physically desirable in the interest of their female partner. The presence of body odor or dirt, of a partner is framed as a hinderance to Griffith SID: s5083596 Open Universities SID: 1077160

3 experiencing love and happiness in a heterosexual relationship as it is considered to be unappealing, unhygienic or unhealthy. The text invokes the metaphor that the Palmolive Men product, like a heterosexual relationship, is “forever fresh,” and investing money in Palmolive Men is comparable to investing in one’s relationship with their man. The signifier of the lights around the man’s body is another metaphor, portraying that use of the product will elevate the man to a god- like status. It also compares the product to energy and performance that is required to sustain a long-standing relationship with a man. The meaning of man is signified metonymically by showing only one part of his body: the torso and head, which stands in for the whole (his body). His naked, smooth skin, broad shoulders, slender sculptured body, toned bicep, chiselled jawline tanned skin, shaved appearance embodies the archetypical heterosexual male that is perceived to be desirable to women. Such masculinity is presented as something that can be achieved or enhanced through the use of the Palmolive Men product. Connotations suggest possible meanings, which may be attributed to a sign (Study Guide CMM19 2020, p. 47). In this case, these possibilities include masculinity, youth, beauty, grooming and self-care, health and hygiene, seduction, sexuality and performance. However, the written text “forever fresh” and “help your man lift his game” assists in determining the denotations of the text by limiting what the signs can mean. Denotations are “the most stable and objectively verifiable of connotations” (Thwaites et. al. 2002, p. 62). In this text, the male in the shower signifies heterosexual masculinity and a successful relationship with a woman. Griffith SID: s5083596 Open Universities SID: 1077160

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4 Griffith SID: s5083596 Open Universities SID: 1077160

5 Commutation Test A commutation test is a way to test the paradigmatic value of a signifier by substituting elements of a text within the same paradigm to see how it changes the overall meaning of the text (Study Guide CMM19 2020, p.33). The signifier of the heterosexual female as the addressee could be tested by altering the written text from third person “him/his” to second person “you.” Changing the text’s point of view to second person establishes the heterosexual male as the addressee in the text. Although the signification of heterosexual masculinity remains the same, the hidden desire within the text is altered to reflect the fantasy of fulfilling a man’s sexual desire to seduce women. Additionally, a shift in power and agency occurs within the text as the male becomes wholly responsible for improving their manhood through grooming in order to be successful with women and attain a desirable lifestyle. As a result, the connotations of seduction and sexuality may become more prevalent within the text. This indicates that the mode of address towards a heterosexual female audience has a certain paradigmatic value within the text. Another commutation test could be conducted on the male body present within the text. Replacing the appearance of smooth, hairless skin on the male’s body for a full beard and hairy chest may change the meaning of the body as a metonym for heterosexual masculinity. Instead of invoking connotations of cleanliness and beauty, the male body may signify being dirty, unkept and unhealthy. This may negate the sense of sensuality and seduction that the original male figure suggests. Griffith SID: s5083596 Open Universities SID: 1077160

6 Griffith SID: s5083596 Open Universities SID: 1077160

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7 The Gaze The text invokes the male gaze by inferring that heterosexual females desire men who “conform to a rigid set of normative codes about beauty” ( Sturken and Cartwright 2010 p. 82). In this case, the male figure in the text signifies the archetypical male body in Western cultures, which is typically depicted as white, sculpted, muscular, flawless, clean-shaven or stubble, slim, and strong facial features. The text positions the male figure as someone who wants to be looked at as he is making himself available to the possibility of a heterosexual female audience. With his head is tilted up and body turned openly to the viewer, his naked torso and chest becomes exposed, and the viewer is invited to follow the water trickling down his body from the shower head. This suggests that he is aware of how he appears and his ability to be looked at by the viewer, thus flirting with them. His closed eyes connote feelings of pleasure, whilst his unreturned look produce feelings of adoration and admiration by the viewer. By depicting the male figure in this way and framing the Palmolive Men product as a fetish object, the text assumes that all heterosexual women physically desire the ideal male body sanctioned by Western cultures. It also assumes that the heterosexual female who read the text imagines her partner, or their relationship to be lacking in some way and in need of improvement. This invokes the myth that the reader will become more satisfied in their relationship by purchasing the product as they will find their partner more physically desirable. Griffith SID: s5083596 Open Universities SID: 1077160

8 The signifiers “help your man lift his game when it comes to his skin care” and “engineered for men’s skin needs” position the heterosexual female reader as an object of the male gaze. Her role is to care about her partner’s appearance and engage in actions that will improve it. As such, she is expected to invest in her man’s skin care needs above her own by purchasing grooming products. In doing so, the heterosexual female reader is promised a happy, loving relationship with her male counterpart in return. Griffith SID: s5083596 Open Universities SID: 1077160

9 Myth and Ideology Ideology is the “beliefs and values that members of a culture take for granted as being natural and true” ( Glossary of terms CMM19 2011, p.32), whereas myths are “images and ideas presented by a text” (Study Guide CMM19 2020, p.53) that embody such beliefs and values to naturalise meanings. The myths presented in the text are the perfect relationship and masculinity-femininity. The text portrays image-idea of a perfect relationship to mean being a western, white, heterosexual female and male couple. To be feminine means taking on the role of being the caring and nurturing sex, thus accepting subordination to male authority. Conversely, to be a masculine means to be western, white, heterosexual, muscular, flawless, clean-shaven or stubble, and have strong facial features. The reader accepts these myths as natural or self- evident by organising connotations (such as masculinity, grooming, health and hygiene, and sexuality) that embody ideologies of post-war patriarchy, consumerism, sexuality and race (Study Guide CMM19 2020, p.54). The text excludes the social identity of many of its viewers by presenting a fantasy scene that privileges Western cultural ideas of sexuality, gender, relationships and masculinity- femininity as normal and desirable. Using the strategy of othering, any identity that does not resemble such ideas and images is considered to be abnormal and unmarked (Study Guide CMM19 2020, p. 41). In this case, single people, men with other body types, people of different races and nationality, non-heterosexual people, and women who do not accept subordination to male authority are excluded from being identified as the perfect relationship Griffith SID: s5083596 Open Universities SID: 1077160

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10 or masculine/feminine. In doing so, the text posits that these identities need to accept such ideologies in order to be happy and fulfilled in their lives. Griffith SID: s5083596 Open Universities SID: 1077160

11 Dominant, Negotiated and Oppositional Readings The dominant reading is one that reads the text in the way that it is intended and accepts the ideological values that it produces ( Glossary of terms CMM19 2011 , p.50). In this instance, the reader accepts that enhanced sexual masculinity can be achieved or enhanced through the use of the Palmolive Men product and investing in the product is comparable to investing in one’s relationship with their man. Therefore, the reader adopts the position that they will experience eternal love, sexual gratification and happiness within their relationship by consuming the Palmolive Men product. A negotiated reading takes place when the reader identifies with the intended values produced by the text, however, negotiates part of its meaning by taking into account their own needs, interests and beliefs ( Glossary of terms CMM19 2011 , p.50). A reader could agree that the presence body odour on their partner is considered to be unattractive and unhygienic. Therefore, they accept the ideological value that body grooming may improve the physical desire and interest that they have in their partner. However, the reader may acknowledge that relationships are built on mutual trust, respect and affection, thus buying the Palmolive Men product for their partner does not ensure a long-lasting happy and loving relationship. In an oppositional reading, the intended ideological values produced by the text are rejected by the reader in favour of alternative meanings. For example, the reader may believe that it is not their role to care about her partner’s appearance and engage in actions that will improve it. As such, they reject the idea that they are expected to invest in their partner’s skin care needs above their own by purchasing grooming products. Griffith SID: s5083596 Open Universities SID: 1077160

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13 Reference List ‘Forever Fresh’, Palmolive , Marie Claire , No. 242, October 2015,p. 221. Glossary of terms CMM19 Text and Culture 2011, School of Humanities, Griffith University, Brisbane. Study Guide CMM19 Text and Culture 2020, School of Humanities, GriffithUniversity, Brisbane. Sturken, Marita and Cartwright, Lisa 2001, Practices of Looking: an Introduction to Visual Culture, Oxford University Press,Oxford. Tony Thwaites, Lloyd Davis and Warwick Mules 2002, Introducing Cultural and Media Studies: A Semiotic Approach, Palgrave, London. Griffith SID: s5083596 Open Universities SID: 1077160

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FINAL_Assessment Two Image Text and Culture

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