OUGD501 Design Context: Otherness task

OUGD501
DESIGN CONTEXT
OTHERNESS TASK

TASK

Write an analysis (3-500 words) of one media image of your choosing. This analysis should highlight how the intended reader/audience would construct their identity by a specific reading of the text which is based on the 'othering' of other groups or individuals. Your analysis should evidence an understanding of the concept of 'othering' and also show some acknowledgement of how much the security of our own fragile subjectivities or identities depend on this process.

I chose the advert for boss bottled aftershave.

The Boss bottled advert above relies heavily on otherness in order to sell its product. The advert portrays a stereotypical bachelor, living the high life. The advert is suggesting that it's not just selling you a fragrance but also a life style. The makers of the advert are trying to make ordinary men feel inferior to the model. They do this through several aspects of otherness including social status, power and attractiveness.

There is lots of imagery linking the after shave to power in this advert. For example the models clothing, He picks out smart expensive looking suit, one of many in his wardrobe, suggesting he has exposable income and a good job such as a business man or banker. The closing scene also shows him looking over the city of New York, portraying his supremacy over the people below.

The advert employs otherness in a sense of attractiveness and social status. Ryan Reynolds is a movie star and hollywood heart throb, for many women he is a pin up. This creates otherness with the male target audience as they feel inferior to Ryan on one hand, yet on the other hand believe they could be this attractive if they owned the aftershave. He has also dated lots of beautiful women such as Scarlet Johansson and Blake Lively, this connotes that the audience could date beautiful women too if they wear this aftershave. 

This advert prays on middle aged men, creating a crisis of identity. The life style portrayed of the character in the advert is most men's dream, to live a powerful life, surrounded by gadgets in a modern, stylish bachelor pad. In this sense, the after shave becomes escapism allowing the target audience to believe if they owned this aftershave they could live this life.

In conclusion this advert has subtly employed lots of conventions of otherness. I think that the advert aims to appear exclusive and on face value it is aimed at strong, powerful men. However reading further in to the advert you realise that the advert is actually using otherness to aim the aftershave at less powerful men who believe that buying this product will improve their lives.