The Difference Between Men and Women

Men, celebrate yourself.

Women, fix your problems.

This advertising spoof was taken from a British comedy show that is much similar to the format of Saturday Night Live. It is merely a comedy sketch, but it does give a pretty accurate description of what the advertising industry is all about. It sums up the message of what commercials have been telling us for decades. Men are told to buy products to emphasize their masculinity. I've noticed, whether it's an ad for cologne, motorcycle, or a Rolex watch, these advertisements send out the message that their product will make them "the man" they are supposed to be. There are typically no negative connotations within advertisements that are geared towards men, because these ads never address what was wrong with an individual (besides not having the Tommy Hilfiger cologne or the Honda motorcycle) before he bought the product.

However, as this comedy sketch clearly illustrates, advertisements geared towards women point out the "obvious faults" of women and that the purchasing of the shampoo or cream will cure the problem. Advertising has a very degrading effect on women, no doubt. It's interesting to note how the sketch included the child walking in with dirty laundry. Advertising, and the media as well, seem to have a tendency to create boxes with labels for men and women. Not only did the child's dirty laundry situation emphasize the women as a mother with responsibilities, it also brought about the idea of gender roles. Never does a man do the laundry in a Tide commercial, or pack lunch for his kids using ZipLock bags. Similarly, women will never relax in an ad with a can of BudLight Beer.

Video courtesy of youtube.com

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85HT4Om6JT4)