Anita Cox Paper 2- Content Analysis Male & Female Stereotypes

Thesis This paper will focus on the stereotypes that are placed on male & females through sport health magazines and how they compare. The paper will analysis the trends targeted toward this consumer market through a content analysis of ads in Men's Health and Women’s Health, a brief discussion of “health branding” effects, which shall relate back to ASICS “sound mind, sound body” which appears in both magazines. It will argue how these magazines benefit from the exploitation of subjective stereotyping.

“The power brands have in transforming” Promotion of the brands in advertisements look to positively modify the consumer. Creation of the flawless man/woman. No attention paid to psychological or other issues within the consumers life.

“The difference in Male & Female Stereotypes” Males- the jock, the strong silent type, the joker the big shot. Females- the passive type, the emotional female, sexual object, independent/empowered woman.

Females- Models VS Males- Macho Females in the magazine are beautiful models, celebrities, fashion icons. Few athletic looking females. Males are also perfectly beautiful, airbrushed and homoerotic. Ironic in a men’s sport magazine= macho?

Brands used to cleanse stereotypes. Stereotypes are evident in male/females, advertisements aim to cleanse these away. Through the “sound mind sound body” commercials, we see stereotypes branded between the sexes. Many ads featured are interesting in terms of perspective, as many may look at them in ways they relate to themselves differently.