Subvertisement: I’m Trapped in #mycalvins

Using Photoshop, the caption and brand name was changed to “I’m trapped in #mycalvins” and Calvin Fines, respectively. The words “I seduce” was changed to “I’m trapped” because the female figure is unable to escape this problem of being portrayed as a weak female figure. Secondly, the brand name Calvin Klein was changed to Calvin Fines because Calvin Klein is looking for profit more than anything and their underwear is very expensive for their value. They want your money and that’s it. They’re not trying to solve world problems, they’re trying to sell underwear that costs eighty dollars!

The original Calvin Klein ad had a caption of “I seduce in #mycalvins” and the brand name Calvin Klein. The girl is sitting in the back of a car that has dark red seats. It makes the ad look like it’s related to a gentleman’s bar or nightclub. The fact that the setting is in the car can metaphorically indicate that she is trapped in the small space. Sitting in the back of the car implies that someone is driving the car and has power over where she goes. Interestingly, she is not even looking outside to see where she is being lead and this can imply that she is dependent on the person driving the car whom is most likely a male. The dress she is wearing is very light and thin and has lines on it, kind of like jail bars. It’s almost creepy to see her right hand gripping her ankle like you would on a cell bar. To give it more of feeling that she is trapped, the temperature of the ad is very cold. There is no warmth or care shown. Lastly, this comes as a no shocker but she is pale, thin and almost dead looking from her facial expression. She looks like she is a ghost and has no energy.

Calvin Klein’s target audience is people ages of 15+. They have a huge age range but what’s important to note is how young some customers are. Young consumers do not yet understand or notice values that many of these ads send. In this case, for women to wear less clothing, be fragile and thing as a symbol of beauty. Calvin Klein is romanticizing the beauty of thinness and weakness and informing teens, who are starting to understand and find themselves, with morals which are not healthy and true.

There are far too many ads in the media today that portray women in a way that is not realistic and healthy for society. For example, women in magazines and fashion ads are unrealistically thin. Studies have shown that “exposure to media images of thin-and-beautiful women negatively affects the body image and mood states of young women”. Media is also much more accessible and are shown in many more places, like on the side of a buildings which is why there is an increase in the of females who are insecure with their body. Media can change human identity and shape our sociable view.

Many fashion ads also pressure men to be strong and muscular because this is what according to fashion ads what makes man “attractive”. As a result, there is a growing concern of young boys as old as ten being obsessed with building their muscular physique. Furthermore the number of men with eating disorders has risen by two-thirds between 2001 and 2011.

Like I mentioned earlier, media can change human identity and shape our sociable view. Today we can see the reflection of women being portrayed as a weak figures in media in real life. For example, “overall commentators on Sunday morning talk-shows are more than 70% male” and “Hollywood executives are still overwhelmingly white and male. Moreover, studio senior management is 92% white and 83% male”. Although women are equally intellectual and are progressing in all fields from medicine to business to journalism the rate of this change is still relatively slow and can be increased by ads that empower women rather than shame their body. Women often also presented as needy of male companionship and that needs to be grossly changed. The problem of income inequality and gender biases for women in particular needs to be addressed more seriously as we see more and more ads everyday.

So next time you go through a vogue magazine, take a moment to recognize what the media considers beautiful and see how unrealistic some ads can be. Companies need your cash to strive so don’t be fooled. You have the power of keeping their company alive, don’t let them make you feel like it’s the other way around.