“Bare As You Dare:" Using Nudity to Sell

By Michaela Penn

Objectified females have always been the subject of company’s ad campaigns; no matter the product advertisers still find a way to insert barely dressed females to make merchandise more appeasing. Jean Kilbourne, author of Can’t Buy My Love and the film Killing Us Softly, explains in her lectures how ads sell a great deal more than just products. “They sell values, images, and concepts of success and worth, love and sexuality, popularity and normalcy. They tell us who we are and who we should be. Sometimes they sell addictions (Kilbourne, 1).” In this blog analysis I will examine recent advertisements from Urban Outfitters and American Apparel. I will also specifically consider the difference between males and females in American Apparel catalogue ads, and how females are much more exposed and objectified than males. I choose both Urban Outfitters and American Apparel because of their young aged target market and their recent ad campaigns. Both companies have featured exposed (i.e. breast, buttock) models in various magazines, catalogues, and websites. According to website Quantcast, Urban Outfitters has a 71% consumer demographic of 13-34 year old males and females (QuantCast, 1). Likewise, American Apparel has a consumer demographic of 64% to 13- 34 year old males and females (QuantCast, 2). Though both of these brands have a stronger over 18 audiences, they still have a huge teenage following. Both American Apparel and Urban Outfitters market to young teens because their profits and consumer loyalty are what keeps these businesses running strong.

What Are You Selling Again?
With clothing becoming more risqué’ so is the advertising promoting these clothes. The latest of the nude advertising spree comes from American Apparel (see photo above). This model showing off the brand’s …errr…boy shorts, is positioned to seem as if she is performing oral sex on her male counterpart who is not seen. The correlation between boy shorts and oral sex should perplex every viewer, however American Apparel clearly understands the term “sex sells.” In another recent ad displaying American Apparel new zipper bodysuit, the model’s top half is bare. It’s hard to determine whether this is an actual advertisement or porn. Though this ad was ran in sex-related blog the Debauchette, its controversial actions and model (Porn star Sasha Grey) has made it a hot commodity all over the web and easy access for a young American Apparel shopper.

Objectified females have always been the subject of company’s ad campaigns; no matter the product advertisers still find a way to insert barely dressed females to make merchandise more appeasing. Jean Kilbourne, author of Can’t Buy My Love and the film Killing Us Softly, explains in her lectures how ads sell a great deal more than just products. “They sell values, images, and concepts of success and worth, love and sexuality, popularity and normalcy. They tell us who we are and who we should be. Sometimes they sell addictions (Kilbourne, 1).” In this blog analysis I will examine recent advertisements from Urban Outfitters and American Apparel. I will also specifically consider the difference between males and females in American Apparel catalogue ads, and how females are much more exposed and objectified than males. I choose both Urban Outfitters and American Apparel because of their young aged target market and their recent ad campaigns. Both companies have featured exposed (i.e. breast, buttock) models in various magazines, catalogues, and websites. According to website Quantcast, Urban Outfitters has a 71% consumer demographic of 13-34 year old males and females (QuantCast, 1). Likewise, American Apparel has a consumer demographic of 64% to 13- 34 year old males and females (QuantCast, 2). Though both of these brands have a stronger over 18 audiences, they still have a huge teenage following. Both American Apparel and Urban Outfitters market to young teens because their profits and consumer loyalty are what keeps these businesses running strong.

Men Vs Women
The difference between how men and women are framed in advertising is becoming much more prevalent with advertisement like the ones featured above. American Apparel especially, exposes females much more than males in their advertising. To prove this idea I reviewed the cover pictures from the company’s catalogue in 2004, 2005, and 2006. The distinctions are striking. In 2004 the catalogue featured only one male shirtless cover, while offering five females either with just a bra (and pants) or in just bra and panties.

Likewise in 2005 the catalogue shows one male models who is wearing a hooded jacket and briefs. 8 of the 10 females to make cover are exposed (i.e. exposed=cannot wear in public). Three of the models are wearing just panties, one panties/bra, one is wearing a form fitting/back & butt out bodysuit, one is wearing just socks, and the last has her breast exposed in her socks and button up blouse.

This trend with American Apparel continues in 2006. Only one male featured in both shorts and a tee-shirt.8 of the 11 females are in either their panties, bikinis, or one piece suits that expose their legs and buttocks. One female in particular has her bare legs wide opens with the magazine covering saying “wide open,” while another model has on shorts and an open hooded jacket with exposed breast.

It’s Deeper Than You Think
“Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel” (Kilborne, 2).These advertisements cause young viewers to grow up having bad taste in men, clothes, etc and poor judgment concerning self-respect. These advertisements portray females (and males occasionally) as nothing more than a mask, that is good for nothing besides advertising. Kilbourne states that in these ads our body is seen as a "thing," "and turning a human being into a thing is often the first step toward justifying violence. (Kilboune, 3)" On the most obvious level young viewers looking at these ads learn the stereotypes of how a man and woman should be. Advertising creates a mythical, mostly white world in which people are rarely ugly, overweight, poor, struggling or disabled, either physically or mentally (Kilboune, 4). Since women are active consumers, the site of women’s empowerment is through the commercial sphere, by making decisions about what and how to consume to defining themselves. However the target market of both American Apparel and Urban Outfitters starts at 13 which is young, by already subjected these over sexualized images in ads the message is clear to these teens. Teenagers are easily influenced by what they see and they often get dress/style ideas from magazines or websites. Both of these brands may have tried to take precautions by advertising in over 18 magazines, but lets be realistic …are all those readers really over 18?

Below is a message from American Apparel concerning their raunchy advertisements.

“American Apparel's ads have always been easily identifiable, standing out amongst our peers and luxury brands alike, and have been instrumental in our success worldwide. Familiar images of employees and friends from around the world—not models—allow us to express the diversity American Apparel is built on and an aspect of authenticity that is often lost in traditional advertising. Our provocative, real, unpretentious aesthetic has struck a chord with today's young trendsetters, and has drawn us an intensely loyal following, similar to that of Levi's in the 60's and 70's when they were breaking similar ground with an underserved generation.”- AA

Work Cited

Stacer, Laura Portwood. “Me, Only Better!”: Reality Makeover Television and Post-Feminist Gender Ideology

Make over shows and the ‘modern woman’

By: Georgina Failey

“Our popular culture is rife with stories of personal transformation, where individuals who make positive changes in themselves are rewarded with god fortune and the admiration of their peers” (Portwood-Stacer, 2004,2010)

It is well documented that in western culture, there is the pressure to have an attractive, charismatic and presentable appearance. Media images are a huge influence on our outlook and it can change our cultural and social idea as to how we should present ourselves. “We eventually come to see ourselves partly in terms of ‘how we think’ other people see us, a concept known as ‘self conception through other’.” (Michelle A Wolf, 2004,2010) This means that there is a higher concern within ourselves as to how others see us, not as to who we really are. Are we the person that we like to think that we are? Or are we the person that others perceive us to be?

There are currently make over shows on television which promote the importance of getting and having external beauty. In fact, becoming attractive is portrayed as an accomplishment, and as means to fulfilment and contentment. Within this blog I am going to look at make-over and transformation television programmes such as ‘The Swan’ (2004), ‘Trinny and Susannah: Undress’ (2006) and the make-under show ‘Snog, Marry Avoid?’(2008).

The makeover show ‘The Swan’ (2004) was a reality TV programme, which includes female contestants who aren’t happy with their appearance and feel that changing externally will make them feel better internally. It gives the ideology that if you are beautiful on the outside, then you can be beautiful and happy on the inside.

The programme aims to create a sense of ‘personal improvement’ among the women as they compete to be the ‘most beautiful’ throughout the competition, and then at the end of the competition one of them who has made the most progress is chosen as ‘The Swan’. Even though throughout the programme the counsellors explain to the contestants that they are trying to make them beautiful and individual, they all have a vastly similar appearance such as: big hair (usually blonde or highlighted), breast implants, plump lips and brow lifts. Therefore, instead of promoting individual beauty, they are creating a specific look to represent to the audience as to what ‘beauty’ is, influencing the audience as to how they feel that they should look.

Make over shows can have an effect on audience members leaving them feel inadequate about certain features that they have as “body evaluation is also influenced by the attention we pay to distinctive attributes of mediated images. A psychological concept known as the distinctiveness postulate is useful for explaining the power of media to shape our self conceptions” (Michelle A Wolf, 2004,2010) Women who have particular concerns about a certain body part will attend more to that issue when they see it in the media, and their view of it being an imperfection will increase.

The television programme ‘Trinny and Susannah: Undress’ involves a contestant, who is either from the general public or a celebrity, standing in a small mirrored room, explaining what they don’t like about themselves such as: body, fashion or self esteem issues and throughout the show the hosts take them shopping, get them a beauty make over which includes getting their hair done, or seeing a makeup artist to give them basic tips on how to keep up their appearance.




The changes in this programme format are more subtle in comparison to ‘The Swan’ as they it doesn’t involve surgery. It seems more empowering as it shows women that one can be “naturally” beautiful.

Among this pressure to conform to society’s image of beauty, there are ‘make under’ television programmes that take women for who they are, and find ways to promote their natural beauty. These programmes have the ideology to ‘use what you have’, that beauty isn’t just on the outside and that you don’t have to look like a model in order to be considered attractive.

The make under television programme ‘Snog Marry Avoid?’ involves participants, either male or female and from the general public as well as celebrities, who have gone too far with what they perceive as attractive and appealing such as: too much fake tan, hair extensions, over the top and excessive makeup.

The format involves ‘POD ’ a computer system that puts them up to a public analysis, were members of the public are asked whether they would ‘snog, marry or avoid’ the participant, along with other questions that will criticise or compliment them. The participant is then faced with a ‘deep cleanse’, which strips them of their makeup and they then have to choose from a range of hair colours and a fashion style. They are then ‘transformed’ accordingly and then again put to the public’s analysis (which always has a more positive result).



Again, this is another programme which isn’t as invasive as ‘The Swan’ or other television programmes that involve plastic surgery, promoting natural beauty and how to achieve it effortlessly. The programme involves audience participation, similar to shows like ‘America’s Got Talent’ were participants are put up to judges and the public’s vote and scrutiny. The preferred reading of this programme is to amuse and entertain the audience because of the physical extremities that the participants have done to themselves, but at the same time it uses that comedy to put across a message to the audience that you don’t need to rely on too much make up, or hair extensions in order to emphasise your look.

This change in format of makeover shows could be due to the latest economic crisis, the emphasis on extreme measures that are expensive has declined. It appears that being excessive is harsh on those who are jobless, with the unemployment rate at a high. ‘Snog, Marry, Avoid?’ is a more ‘toned down’ version of ‘The Swan’ as it is about reducing excess and the extreme. Although, the focus on ‘the external’ shows what matters, and that our bodies and our appearance is still overly scrutinized by others.

Works Cited

Kilbourne, J. (2004,2010). The More You Subtract, The More You Add: Cutting Girls Down To Size In Advertising. In R. A. Lind, Race, Gender, Media: Considering Diversity across Audiences, Content and Producers. Boston,MA: Allyn and Bacon: Pearson Publishers.

Lind, R. A. (2004, 2010). Women in British Broadcasting: An Examination of Percieved Opportunities and Constraints. In R. A. Lind, Race, Gender, Media: Considering Diversity across Audiences, Content and Producers. Boston MA: Allyn and Bacon: Pearson Publishers.

Michelle A Wolf, S. N. (2004,2010). Body Image, Mass Media, Self Concept. In R. A. Lind, Race, Gender, Media: Considering Diversity across Audiences, Content and Producers. Boston,MA: Allyn and Bacon: Pearson Publishers.

Papper, R. A. (2004,2010). Women In TV and Radio News. In R. A. Lind, Race, Gender, Media: Considering Diversity across Audiences, Content and Producers. Boston MA: Allyn and Bacon : Pearson Publishers.

Portwood-Stacer, L. (2004,2010). Me, Only Better: Reality Make over Television and Post Feminist Gender Ideology. In R. A. Lind, Race, Gender, Media: Considering Diversity across Audiences, Content and Producers. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon: Pearson Publishers.

An Analysis of Women as Portrayed in “Pulp Fiction”

By: Amanda Shalkhauser


The media has long been shaping the image of women through television, advertisements, and video games. Television reality shows emphasize weight loss, beauty, and plastic surgery as ways to achieve happiness, and advertisements create an “ideal woman” image to sell clothing, cosmetics, sex, and materialism (Portwood-Stacer 196). Video games also create their own image of women. Women in these games are either “damsels in distress” or over-sexualized heroines with impossible clothing and body shapes (Portwood-Stacer 253). Movies are able to do the same thing; they expand upon widely accepted stereotypes of women such as, subservience to men, overemotional tendency, seductiveness, helplessness, and the idea that power comes from beauty. The movie “Pulp Fiction” uses stereotypical traits of the female gender to place women in the film in two categories: emotional, scared, and helpless, or controlled, powerful, and seductive.




“Pulp Fiction” is an American crime file produced by Quentin Tarantino in 1994. It was nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture, and incorporated many star actors, such as John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Christopher Walken, and Uma Thurman (Wikipedia). The movie focuses on a mob boss, his wife, his hitmen, a boxer and a few petty criminals whose lives are all eventually woven together in a string of seemingly unrelated (and not chronological) events.


As it is postmodern film about crime, “Pulp Fiction’s” characters are mostly male. The desire to be tough and to fight tends to be an overwhelmingly male trait, and thus males dominate the scene when it comes to crime and fighting. Due to its large male population, “Pulp Fiction” is a good film to study in order to see the stereotypes of women in the films’ time period, and a representation of women in or associated with crimes and criminals.


The women in “Pulp Fiction” are immersed in an American crime film in which they are either portrayed as helpless women attached to a stronger male figure, or powerful and individualistic. The movie is more focused on the male characters as they commit various crimes, but there are a few relatively prominent female characters as well. The most notable of these women is Mia Wallace. Played by Uma Thruman, Mia Wallace is the wife of prominent gangster Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) (Wikipedia). She is the dominant female character in the movie, and is portrayed as the “femme fatale;” a beautiful, powerful, intelligent, and seductive woman. The poster for the movie supports this; Mia Wallace’s character is posed on a bed, while wearing a seductive look and stiletto heels. She is smoking a cigarette and a gun is lying in front of her, both of which are societal power symbols. The cover for the widescreen edition of the movie also includes a quote next to Mia, reading “Girls like me don’t make invitations like this to just anyone.” Obviously, Mia is a character with a good deal of power in the storyline of “Pulp Fiction.”


Throughout the movie, Mia’s authority is expanded upon. Vincent Vega (John Travolta), a hit man working for Marsellus Wallace, is asked by Mia’s husband to escort his wife while he is away. When coming to pick Mia up for a night out, Vincent in obviously nervous. While this may be due in part of Mia’s high status as wife of Vince’s boss, Mia plays her own part in Vince’s state. She toys with him when he enters her home, both intelligently and seductively. During dinner, Mia has control over the scene; she is the more important figure and Vincent is subservient to her, doing whatever she requests. Mia is the lone powerful and influential female character in “Pulp Fiction” because she is portrayed as beautiful, influential, intelligent, clever sand seductive. Ironically, later in the movie she mistakes heroin for cocaine and overdoses, becoming the helpless woman figure that Vincent has to rescue from death.

In comparison to Mia Wallace, the other two prominent women in “Pulp Fiction” are fragile and weak. Yolanda (Amanda Plummer), also known as “Honey Bunny,” is part of a scene in which she and her husband, Ringo (Tim Roth), try to rob a restaurant and its patrons. Unlike her husband, Yolanda cannot keep control of herself during the robbery. She is loud and frantic, obviously scared but still trying to keep control of the room. Instead of an adult, she sounds like a child a points, saying “I gotta’ go pee” and “I wanna go home” in a frightened, high pitched voice. Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Jules Winnfield, treats her as if she is a child. He talks down to her, telling her to calm down that he is “proud of her” and that her husband is also proud of her for not shooting anyone. Yolanda’s actions are sharply contrasted to Mia’s, as well as to the actions of Jules and Ringo. Yolanda is small, childlike, frantic and frightened, not calm like the men in the scene (even Ringo remains calm though Jules has a gun pointed at his face). She is portrayed as weak and out of control, not strong and controlling like Mia. Even her nickname, “Honey Bunny,” de-maturates her.



Along with Yolanda, Fabienne (Maria de Medeiros) is also portrayed as a weak, childlike feminine figure. Fabienne is the girlfriend of Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis), a boxer running from hit men (Wikipedia). While he is masculine and strong, Fabiene is small, slim, and childlike. Butch speaks to her softly and simply, reassuring her when she is worried. Typical societal male dominance is also shown in a scene in which Butch becomes angry and beings throwing objects around a room. Fabienne cowers in the corner of the room, completely powerless and at the mercy of Butch’s anger.




Both Yolanda and Fabienne, the weak female characters, differ from Mia in their appearance as well as their actions. Mia seems darker in a sense, with black hair, darker skin, red lipstick and typically dark clothing. Yoland and Fabienne appear weaker, wearing neutral colors such as tan or white, no makeup, and have softer features. Mia is also the most attractive, adding to her authority because society tends to equate beauty and power.
Yolanda, Fabienne, and Mia fall into two categories of women represented in the movie “Pulp Fiction.” Mia is characterized as the seductive, powerful, beautiful, independent and possibly dangerous woman, while Yolanda and Fabienne are helpless, male-dependent characters. Their physical features, clothing, make-up, actions, the scenes they are placed in and the characters that surround them all contribute greatly to the way these women are categorized. The two types of women seen in this film and the actions they perform are stereotypical societal ideas of women; a woman is either a powerful seductress or helpless, innocent child – there is no in-between. Because of this, “Pulp Fiction” is not only entertaining viewers with acts of crime and redemption, but it is also making viewable the ways in which society categorizes women.


Works Cited
Portwood-Stacer, Laura. Race/Gender/Media; Considering Diversity across Audiences, Content, and Producers. 2nded. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc., 2010. 92-93. Print.

"Pulp Fiction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikipedia, 28 Oct 2010. Web. 3 Nov 2010. .