Task 9/10-Ethics
Response to Duncan Quinn advertisement
Duncan Quinn’s advertisement image used in 2008 is controversial and found disturbing by many observers. The image raises a number of social issues- particularly from the feminist theory perspective. Some of the choices made by the photographer create cause for concern in terms of morals and what the company perceives as acceptable.
The image shows a fully clothed man dressed in a formal suit standing upright and looking directly into the camera with a smug smirk on his face. In contrast the woman pictured in the left of the photograph is sparsely clothed wearing lace lingerie (which has sexual connotations). She is lying on the bonnet of a car with little of her face visible and is not making eye contact with the camera.
The contrast between the outfit choices for the two models is cause for conversation enough however the most distressing aspects of the image include the use of the tie (one of Duncan Quinn’s best known accessories) being used to strangle the female, held taught by the male. This shows him controlling her while she is animalised and belittled to less than human. Moreover, the unconformable position of the females hand and manner in which her head is leaning back suggests that she is not conscious giving connotations of a rape scene. If not unconscious the woman is certainly subservient to the male while he is on control which is also an unhealthy depiction of any sort of relationship.
The issue with these aspects of the image is that the violence of the man and submissiveness of the woman is not only normalised by being featured in an advertisement but is also glamorized as it is being associated with luxurious and expensive items meaning they may become aspirational.
By associating luxury items with this image the promotion of domestic abuse and rape culture, against women in particular, continues as does inequality of the sexes and oppression. As Duncan Quinn only sells to men the feature of a woman is unnecessary and unrelated to the products meaning that the women is being used simply as a sexual object. But why is she being used as a sexual object if sex and females are not related to the products being sold?
It is commonly believed that ‘sex sells’ and for this reason companies seem to think this justifies their use of imagery that normalizes rape culture violence towards women while allowing oppression and misogyny to continue. However, according to an article by the Business Insider in most cases sex does not actually sell but in most cases instead repels buyers (Business Insider, 2012).
My personal opinion of sexualisation of women in marketing is that it is sexist and damaging for women to be unduly sexualised and objectified when it is not necessary or relevant, particular when men in the same advertisement are not. This is because it reinforced the damaging idea tat women are first and foremost sexual objects. I particularly object to images, such as this by Duncan Quinn, that normalise or glamorize the mistreatment of women. That said I also do not adhere to the idea that women are not sexual at all, like men women can be sexual and enjoy sex but when they decide to be sexualised and feel sexy is their choice and they should feel empowered when doing so, rather than belittled.
Bibliography:
UGA Today (2012). Magazine trends study finds increase in advertising using sex. [online] Available at: http://news.uga.edu/releases/article/magazine-trends-study-finds-increase-in-advertisements-using-sex/ [Accessed 30 Nov. 2017].
Business Insider (2012). Do you think sex sells? Think again. [online] Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com/do-you-think-sex-sells-think-again-2012-4?IR=T [Accessed 30 Nov. 2017].
Duncanquinn.com. (2017). Duncan Quinn. [online] Available at: http://duncanquinn.com/ [Accessed 6 Dec. 2017].
ThoughtCo. (2017). What is Feminist Theory?. [online] Available at: https://www.thoughtco.com/feminist-theory-3026624 [Accessed 7 Dec. 2017].