Representation Analysis

Analysis of Two Commercials

    

    Representation is how certain groups are shown in media. Representation can either shown groups in a poor and good light. Doing this will effect how the general public perceives these groups as well. The audiences will begin to take in the ideas presented and project them onto to others outside of the media they took it from.

        The tide commercial is short and comical at times but when looking at what it is representing it can be problematic. This is most notably seen through its dialogue. The commercial focuses on a mother and her daughter, while this isn't necessarily a bad thing on its own, it does suffer from exclusion. The commercial only shows a middle to upper class family and how the tide product is beneficial to them. It doesn't show any other perspectives, since the family is white, this includes both race/ethnicity and social class. The audience may not connect with the people in the commercial or simply believe that they shouldn't be using the product or don't deserve to use the product in the first place. When it comes to age the commercial is more forgiving, while the focus is on a middle aged mother the dialogue and commercial do point out the daughter and her clothes, both for better and for worse. The commercial tells the audience through dialogue that the tide product has had a positive effect on the daughter's living condition. The dialogue starts to point badly when it shows how uncomfortable the mother is with the fact the tide product worked so well, "it's kinda too bad," her face often shows that she is uncomfortable with her daughter's behavior and that bit of dialogue shows she wants to change it. The daughter is shown to be less feminine than the mother, which is a huge problem. This excludes those types of people and instead promotes being against people who don't act like their gender should be acting. The mother shows discomfort when she says "hoodies and cargo shorts." This is emphasized by the area surrounding the mother and her clothing, containing a large amount of pink.

     The H&M ad is much more inclusive and does good by everyone. The commercial does so well in representation because its main goal is to show diversity, and not only in race or ethnicity. The commercial shows diversity and acceptance through two different means. The narration and visuals. The visuals provide a great amount of representation in of itself but the dialogue comes in and emphasizes the choices shown visually with short and powerful statements such as, "stand out, blend in, " and "be trashy, be boring, be new." The statements show the commercial truly does care for everyone and wants them to be what they want to be. The commercial visually shows many different races and ethnicities. The first two races/ethnicities shown aren't even white, they are Asian and African American respectively. On top of that more are shown and some races/ethnicities reappear more than once. The commercial also disregards social class, it shows people in penthouses but also people in normal houses and possibly poorer areas, although it can be hard to tell. The ages of the people in the commercial also differ drastically, cutting from an old woman to a young man at times. Although, it is notable the commercial doesn't focus on teens and children. Children are seen in one shot, but its a group shot where they don't stand out at all. This could send the message to the audiences that in order to decide what you want to do in any situation, you must be older to do it or to know its a good decision. The commercial also reaches out to LGBTQ groups or groups that simply don't follow the normal through the people seen in the commercial cross dressing from their sex. The commercial encourages many different to groups to go out to the public and take pride in what they are and their appearance, nationality, and anything else they choose to be. Audiences can go away from the commercial believing that they don't have to be ashamed of what they want and choose to be because to doesn't matter and it should be accepted.