If you watch this commercial –
what are they selling? They are selling “sexy
bodies,” right? Not under garments, they
are selling a “look.” And what look is
that? A sexy look.
Docile bodies: People’s ideas
about “sexy” and “attractive” are constantly changing based on what the media
and other outside forces are telling them to think. (I mean who really thinks UGG boots are
attractive? The media didn’t convince me
of that – I still hate them!) When you
watch this Victoria’s Secret commercial, think about the things they are
showing. How much of the time can you
actually see the products they are trying to sell? Almost never.
They are selling the sexy look. But
when you think about it – who has a fan they can constantly have blowing on
them to make their hair blow in the wind?
And who has a fancy sports car they can strut by in stilettos with the
wind blowing their outfit around and the car’s cover coming off? Virtually no one. Victoria’s Secret is selling this look and
making people think this is sexy. Men watch
this and hear the loud music, the lights flashing, the hair blowing, the fancy
sports car and all of a sudden this becomes the new “sexy.” That’s how docile bodies works, mom.
As far as the audience for this
commercial, I would say it is aimed at high culture folks, with a dirty secret
;-). Yes, high culture is normally classical
music, theater plays, etc., but the prices of the items they are selling and
the things they show in the commercial (sports cars, big fancy homes with marble
floor, big four post beds, etc.) show that they are aimed toward people with
money. Like I said, high class folk with
a (sexy) secret. :-)
However, this could also be taken
as an effort to show people that if they buy Victoria’s Secret items, they will
be sexy enough to have these fancy homes and cars…but that’s a whole nother
topic.
I actually completely agree with you! This commercial does NOT highlight the lingerie they are selling; most of the time it is in the shadows! Also, the "What is Sexy" tagline is giving viewers false hopes that buying the Victoria's Secret items will make them as sexy as the models. I agree this ad is targeted at higher cultured population, but also at those who aspire to be in that economic bracket. Great post!
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