This is a commercial for Burger King that I remember seeing on television a few years ago. I wanted to share it because of how the women are portrayed. There are only three women in the commercial and they play the stereotypical role of the “housewife,” the “working woman,” and the “sexy girl next door.” Two out of the three women do not seem interested in a meal at Burger King whatsoever, which signifies that consuming meat and beef in particular is a masculine activity which women have no business in partaking. The only women who is eating the breakfast sandwich is depicted as wearing the “pants” and a work-related uniform.The three women are all passive and used as props in the men’s eager quest to the restaurant. The first women has a briefcase thrust upon her. The woman holding the garden hose and sipping on her drink connotes a sexual thirst, which causes all the men to stumble along the way as they sing “yummy, yummy tummy tummy.”
Is this a parody? If yes or no, should the women be portrayed the way they are?
Does this commercial stereotype the male actors as well as the female?
Wow, great analysis of the three different types of woman. I think that in both historical and modern interpretations of women through the eyes of society (arguably dominated by men)always include these 3 categories that women fall under. For the longest time, women were to be seen but not heard. They assumed their role as the housewife taking on responsibilities of cooking cleaning and watching children. In women's right movements they fought to gain new identities particularly in the corporate world. Now with this advantage, (according to the ad) women are now seen to be wearing the pants. With association of pants being a masculine object, women still arent acquiring complete powerful identity. I feel as though any advertisement that includes men as the "go-getters" women play the role of the "come-getees". This often is sexually connotated. So the role of the "Sexy girl" isn't shocking. I don't think this is a parody, in fact I think the three roles reflect the reality of women interpretations.
ReplyDelete