Advertising Propaganda

In Lance Strait analysis of beer commercials in "Men, Masculinity and the Media" the reader is presented with the idea that beer ads set guidelines in what is necessary to achieve masculinity in view of other men. These ads tap into men's desire to always be in control, respected and looked upon by their peers. Advertisers goal is to install in us the belief that drinking beer and even just holding a beer bottle will give us inspiration, courage, confidence and respect. This advertisement plays with our fears of lack of confidence when approaching women, it also implies that a beer bottle can remove all the undesired objects in out path to achieving acceptance by the opposite sex.

This advertisement features a male and a female model beside a roof top pool in a business district of a city. Male model is obscured by the beer bottle, which leads us to believe that he is undesired.

Advertising

English: bubble of beer on a bottle Bierblase auf ...

English: Miller Genuine Draft (beer) Svenska: Mill...

We immediately see that the female is the main object of the ad, she is the object that the person holding the bottle is vying for. The ad can be viewed from a perspective of a man walking towards the couple with the intent of interrupting the conversation and having sole possession of the female's attention. The way the bottle is blocking the other male is a symbol of confidence of such proportion that it implies that no object can be in the way when wanting something.

Beer advertisers like to portray their product as a reward at the end of a long day. Beer is often associated with men who do some sort of physical or labor work. "Men who work hard, play hard" (Strate) (80) is a statement Strate makes and this advertisement addresses that quote. Not too many people enjoy...