Task 9/10-Ethics

Duncan quinn
The advert by Duncan Quinn which is supposedly advertising menā€™s suits, Described as ‘Savile Row meets Rock ‘n Roll’, by buzz feed. The advert shows a young female helplessly stretched out on top of what looks like the bonnet of a car. She lays at the foot of a well-dressed business man whom you can clearly see the face of as he looks directly into the camera. The high camera angle shows off the femaleā€™s body, as sheā€™s lead in skimpy lace underwear with just her upper body on show. Her body looks as if she is asleep or lifeless making her look helpless and vulnerable. Her neck is tilted back whilst willingly allowing a stick like object held by the man to be clawed at her neck, this suggests sheā€™s submissive, showing the male as a dominant figure over the woman, the fact that her face is also not shown dehumanises her.

The use of a half-naked woman draws in the male gaze as men would be drawn to the image, as they would naturally be attracted to the female body. The advert could also be seen to attract men in a negative way. The messages that the advert gives off to its male audience that this is what their suits could do for them, making women fall to their feet, and not just purchase the suits. Ā ā€œwe do “a great disservice” to boys in how we raise them, putting them in the “hard cage” of masculinity; and that we do “a greater disservice” to girls.ā€ Tedx Talk, ā€˜we should all be feministsā€™ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, she states that the way men are portrayed in todayā€™s culture is allowing certain behaviours.
The advert could also suggest that women are made to serve men. The way that she is willingly laying on the bonnet of the car shows to male and female audience that women should be submissive and they are only there for men to use for sex or to for fill a need. By sending this message it allows men to think itā€™s okay to treat women in this way. The way the model is made to look vulnerable, by her lack of clothing and her face not shown in the shot it could suggest to the viewer the idea of rape and abuse towards women, making this look okay, suggesting to young women that they should allow men to treat them this way.
The use of a car which holds connotations of masculinity reinforces the masculine control the man has over the female in the shot.

Overall, the advert by Quinn sends negative messages to its reader, supporting this message is an issue with in the fashion industry as it targets such wide audiences.

Bibliography
Tedx Talk, ā€˜we should all be feministsā€™, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 2013

Buzzfeed Staff, Buzzfeed (2012) The Five Most Sexist/Misogynistic Print Ads From The Last Five Years. Available from: https://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/the-five-most-sexistmisogynistic-print-ads-from-t?utm_term=.pu5EMnGYjj#.qroBE1rlZZĀ Acsessed: 30th November

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