Razors for all humans? A multimodal social semiotic analysis of advertising stereotypes and gender performances
(2022) SKOK11 20221Department of Strategic Communication
- Abstract
- This paper aimed to investigate how advertising stereotypes can be challenged or reproduced and how gender is performed, in the context of an allegedly non-stereotypical company. In order to investigate this matter, we conducted a multimodal social semiotic analysis of the Swedish company Estrid, whose razor blades are communicated to all humans. By analyzing various semiotic resources, the paper presents new knowledge on how visual communication both can challenge and reproduce stereotyped and non-stereotyped portrayals. Furthermore, it contributes with knowledge regarding how visual communication can create challenging performances of gender in advertising. The results suggest that Estrid by combining traditional “feminine” and... (More)
- This paper aimed to investigate how advertising stereotypes can be challenged or reproduced and how gender is performed, in the context of an allegedly non-stereotypical company. In order to investigate this matter, we conducted a multimodal social semiotic analysis of the Swedish company Estrid, whose razor blades are communicated to all humans. By analyzing various semiotic resources, the paper presents new knowledge on how visual communication both can challenge and reproduce stereotyped and non-stereotyped portrayals. Furthermore, it contributes with knowledge regarding how visual communication can create challenging performances of gender in advertising. The results suggest that Estrid by combining traditional “feminine” and “masculine” connotations, managed to perform inclusive and fluid gender identities which did not define humans in a binary way. In terms of stereotypes, we suggest Estrid managed to challenge advertising stereotypes to a certain degree, but in the process of doing so, they also reproduce traditional stereotypes. In summary, this study illustrates the challenges corporations face when striving to position themselves as inclusive and representative of all humans. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Syftet med denna studien var att undersöka hur kommunikation som sägs vara icke-stereotypisk framställer genus och utmanar eller reproducerar traditionella stereotyper i reklam. För att studera detta fenomen valdes det svenska företaget Estrid ut, som säger sig kommunicera till alla människor. Genom att studera detta fenomen har studien bidragit med kunskap kring hur visuell kommunikation kan både utmana och reproducera stereotypiska gestaltningar. Den har även bidragit med kunskap kring hur visuell kommunikation kan skapa representativa och utmanande performativa uppträdanden av genus inom reklam. Resultaten indikerade att Estrid, genom att ha kombinerat traditionellt “manliga” och “kvinnliga“ konnotationer, lyckades skapa inkluderande... (More)
- Syftet med denna studien var att undersöka hur kommunikation som sägs vara icke-stereotypisk framställer genus och utmanar eller reproducerar traditionella stereotyper i reklam. För att studera detta fenomen valdes det svenska företaget Estrid ut, som säger sig kommunicera till alla människor. Genom att studera detta fenomen har studien bidragit med kunskap kring hur visuell kommunikation kan både utmana och reproducera stereotypiska gestaltningar. Den har även bidragit med kunskap kring hur visuell kommunikation kan skapa representativa och utmanande performativa uppträdanden av genus inom reklam. Resultaten indikerade att Estrid, genom att ha kombinerat traditionellt “manliga” och “kvinnliga“ konnotationer, lyckades skapa inkluderande och icke-binära representationer av genus. Gällande stereotyper, pekade resultaten på att i strävan efter att utmana traditionella stereotyper har Estrid till viss del lyckats med detta. Men, i processen har även somliga stereotyper reproducerats och uppmuntrats i Estrids kommunikation. Slutligen belyser studien även de utmaningar och problem som väntar de företag som vill positionera sig som socialt inkluderande och representativa av alla människor. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9082083
- author
- Tallving, Olle LU and Balkow, Carl Jonathan LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SKOK11 20221
- year
- 2022
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- gender, stereotypes, advertising, Goffman, beauty products, visual communication, genus, stereotyper, reklam, skönhetsprodukter, visuell kommunikation
- language
- English
- id
- 9082083
- date added to LUP
- 2022-06-27 11:53:10
- date last changed
- 2022-06-27 11:53:10
@misc{9082083,
abstract = {{This paper aimed to investigate how advertising stereotypes can be challenged or reproduced and how gender is performed, in the context of an allegedly non-stereotypical company. In order to investigate this matter, we conducted a multimodal social semiotic analysis of the Swedish company Estrid, whose razor blades are communicated to all humans. By analyzing various semiotic resources, the paper presents new knowledge on how visual communication both can challenge and reproduce stereotyped and non-stereotyped portrayals. Furthermore, it contributes with knowledge regarding how visual communication can create challenging performances of gender in advertising. The results suggest that Estrid by combining traditional “feminine” and “masculine” connotations, managed to perform inclusive and fluid gender identities which did not define humans in a binary way. In terms of stereotypes, we suggest Estrid managed to challenge advertising stereotypes to a certain degree, but in the process of doing so, they also reproduce traditional stereotypes. In summary, this study illustrates the challenges corporations face when striving to position themselves as inclusive and representative of all humans.}},
author = {{Tallving, Olle and Balkow, Carl Jonathan}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Razors for all humans? A multimodal social semiotic analysis of advertising stereotypes and gender performances}},
year = {{2022}},
}