COMPARATIVE ASSIGNMENT ESSAY

A comparison of how women are represented in fragrance advertisements from the 1920’s, 1970’s and 2011

Mavis by Vivaudou (1920s)

There is theatrical and extravagant representation of women in this advertisement, for example: the woman is in a dramatic pose; pressing herself against a mirror as though she is lusting after herself. This indicates the fragrance is irresistible (as the word ‘irresistible’ are also written on the advertisement) and overwhelmingly sexy to anyone, men and women alike. It suggests that women wearing it will possess these sexual elements and can lure people by simply spritzing this powerful fragrance onto your skin. As she stands I her luxurious gown and her bare back she seems to find her own body irresistible when she is covered in this particular scent.

The woman depicted in this advertisement is wearing a luxurious evening gown, seductively and revealingly draped over her body. The heavy, seemingly expensive fabric represents glamour and wealth suggesting that buying this perfume will make you appear richer and more glamorous than you actually are. The features of the dress also suggest that the fragrance will involve rich, heavy scents that ooze sexiness and make you imagine night time parties. This advertisement uses deep reds and shades of black and darkened purple. These colours connote feelings of passion and sexiness. This adds a great amount towards the overall feel and perception of this advertisement as it reinforces how ridiculously glamorous this fragrance supposedly is. The position of the woman looks as though she is attempting to imagine what a man would see whilst making love to her. Therefore, it is like she is making love to herself because she thinks she is so perfect and irresistible although she just appears to be self-obsessed. This suggest the fragrance makes people lust after you, like a love potion, it suggests you no longer have control over your mind, you become obsessed with the person wearing the perfume.

The rounded edges on the words and the curves of both the woman's shape and on the mirror are typical of the Art Nouveau style. This makes the advertisement appear more feminine and appealing to a female market. If the edges to the words were sharper then it would decrease the femininity of the advertisement and wouldn’t blend in with the overall theme of the fragrance. The curvaceous font style chosen is unlike the fonts used on my other two advertisements. Though, my Charlie advertisement also uses a curvy font it is different as it appears more handwritten. The Dior Addict advertisement uses a font which is completely different as it is a serif font which is clear, sharp and formal looking, compared to the font used for ‘Mavis’ which is a curved, sans serif, art nouveau font.

Charlie by Revlon (1970s)

Firstly, the woman’s posture and expression suggest she is extremely confident and independent. It is a great representation of confidence as she is proudly striding across a public road without company which shows she is not afraid to be alone and does not depend on other people - she can do anything on her own. This advertisement therefore suggests she that this woman is a perfect representation of the target audience and that women who purchase this fragrance will enhance their self-assurance or transform their previously timid self into a loud, proud woman.

The representation of the woman in this advertisement reflects a positive and professional woman who not only looks smart and efficient but is smart and intellectual. The formal clothing worn by the woman featuring in this ‘Charlie’ advertisement represents her as an intelligent, classy and professional which therefore suggests that this perfume will make you feel as though you possess these respected qualities. Unlike many other fragrance advertisements which are targeted towards young women, this one in unique in the fact that the woman is not draped in a silk bed sheet or robed in a fabulous, revealing designer dress. Instead of that attire she is wearing a smart business suit, using only her professionalism to highlight her sexuality which invites men and attracts women’s attention also, as those women desire to be just like her. This symbolises that the women who wear ‘Charlie’ are unlike any other women as they are independent and capture attention without certain items or clothes. This suggests you can be smart, professional and sexy at the same time and do not need to rely on seductive clothing to get attention.

‘Charlie’ is also a unisex name which could imply that this product, when worn by women, is attractive to men. It suggests that you do not need to act flirtatious or dress provocatively to get male attention. It suggests that the fragrance and its brand alone will capture the attention you desire from men and therefore enhance your confidence. The name highlights the fact that not all women have to be the stereotypical supercilious girl who acts slightly dim and enjoys playing with boys, it tells us that this fragrance is designed for those independent women who do not want or need to rely on a man for money, etcetera. The brand message suggests that you should either step outside your feminine comfort zone or embrace your true personality if you are and want to be different. It suggests that men are not attracted to the woman because of her clothes and looks but instead suggests that men will be attracted to you because of you.

Dior Addict by Dior (2012) 

I thought this shot was good as it was unlike my other two choices because you cannot see

the actual woman who represents this fragrance. Instead of her, you see a classy silhouette of a woman holding a bottle of perfume. The ground is clearly sand and the weather is clearly sunny as the sun shines through the pale pink screen that the woman is sitting behind. The unknowing what the woman looks like suggests that she is a woman of mystery and subtlety, a woman who doesn't give herself away to just anyone who asks. This advertisement uses a Bridgette Bardot style of representation for the woman; it borrows interest and uses celebrity endorsement by Daphine Groeneveld to engage interest from a variety of prospective consumers. Her pose is poised and elegant which suggests she is a woman of class and also that the perfume is classy too. The pastel colours also highlight the fragrance as subtle but feminine as they are pale but girly. This shot suggests that if you were to buy the fragrance you would be able to get desired attention by being mysterious. It suggests you do not need to use your looks or sexuality to get the desired attention, it suggests that being yourself and keeping some of your private things private will then have you finding yourself a happier person. This shot suggests that perhaps less is more, all you need is this fragrance and to be yourself and you will become the woman every man wants and every woman wants to be. 

This specific shot shows Daphine Groeneveld as a very confident, carefree representation of women. She is bouncing down the streets of St. Tropez without a care in the world; happy and contented. This suggests that 'Dior Addict' will provide you with a sense that you are as beautiful and carefree as this woman. Not only is she oozing coolness but is passing by two men without even throwing them a glance. Whereas they gaze at her in what can only be described as wonderment - suggesting that they are extremely attracted to her. Maybe because of the fragrance she's wearing as well as her stunning looks? It suggests that if a woman was to see this advert and buy this fragrance she would expect to feel happy, confident and carefree. She would also expect to find that she is getting more male attention than when she is not wearing the supposedly 'irresistible' fragrance. I saw supposedly irresistible because the name 'Dior Addict' suggests that the scent is addictive and therefore so will you be. Daphine is also the centre of attention is this shot even though she is not placed directly in the centre of the screen. This attention is brought by her black outfit, which vividly contrasts against the pale, pastel oranges and blues of the typically French buildings behind her.  

I chose this shot as it reflects a different side of the woman's personality than the other two shots. This one suggests a more sexual, sensual and seductive side of Daphine. This effect is created as her hands are running back through her hair, the shot is a low shot, she wears an parted lip pout which has sexual connotations and her eyes are barely open which adds a 'late night' sort of 'smouldering' look. She looks relaxed and ready for a man to take her away. This shot shows that the fragrance suggests that men will find you sexually attractive and you will find yourself feeling glamorous and sexy. Women who purchase this fragrance would expect to feel both these things as well as the confident and happy emotions shown in the other screenshot. Her fair hair and pale skin dramatically contrast against her dark clothing and the darkness of the room she is dancing in. That brings me to the fact she is dancing on a table, this implies she is a cheeky girl who is daring and is not afraid to be a rebel. Overall this fragrance suggests the woman wearing it is a girl who has it all: happiness; confidence; cheekiness; elegance; mystery; glamour; sexiness; rebelliousness and not forgetting how good she smells...