Rose Petal Cottage

To make a toy more universal and less gender specific, there are several aspects that must be changed about the advertising approach. In the case of the commercial for the Rose Petal Cottage, the components that should be addressed for the advertising include: the actors, the colors, the scene, and the music.

Girls are the only ones shown for this commercial, therefore it limits the targeting audience. It also makes it seem like this toy is only exclusive for girls and guys would be made fun of if they wanted to play with this cottage. The activities that are portrayed by the girls such as the baking and other "homemaker-type" actions also exclude boys. The prominently pink color and girly scenes also make it girl specific. The music also playing in the background promote the feminine feel of the commercial.

In order to make this product more gender friendly towards a boy audience, the commercial could have included a group of kids (including boys) playing with the cottage instead of having just little girls running around it. More dominant colors such as blue, green, or black could also be utilized in the commercial to reduce the feminine feel. Besides playing house and doing the typical "homemaker" activities, hide and seek would have been a more efficient activity to illustrate the fun that can be associated with the toy cottage.

Stereotypes/Racism Prevalent in Movies and TV

Stereotypes of course still exist in this judging world of ours. Though traditional roles are being challenged, judging will always exist. An example of a stereotyping traditional role that has been challenged throughout the years is the role of women as a stay-at-home mother/wife and homemaker. Women now have been given more rights and freedom, and dare to act and behave just like their male counterparts.

Advertising is not necessarily solely responsible for stereotyping and racism, as people always will have judgements about others, but it does contribute. It feeds on the notions that are already present in people's minds.

An example of a movie where stereotyping occurs is "White Chicks" because there is an assumption that blondes are not smart.      

  

An example of a tv show where racism occurs would be BET's "The Game" where "typical" characterizations of whites and blacks are prevalent.

 

Racist Stereotyping, Tactful Upperhand or Just Plain Wrong?

I believe that we as the masses have just learned to accept the stereotyping that advertising has utilized throughout the decades. Because we do not give the stereotyping much thought or analysis, we accept it as the norm. Only upon further examination and a second look do we realize that what is occurring may not be ethical, but even a wrongful discrimination that we willingly accept in our daily lives.

I personally feel a little strange when it is put into the terms of "racially stereotyping", but as an advertising major, it will be what my job depends on. When put into black and white terms as such, it elicits unfavorable feelings but advertising has used racial stereotyping for many decades now. I think it is okay to racially stereotype for advertising purposes as long as those racial characterizations are not abused or made fun of. Such an example would be targeting good food/good cooking with Italians, as that is not an offensive race characterization in terms of advertising.







                                                                                                                                                                                                             
 Racism as whole without the intent of reaching out to a particular group is definitely not a thing of the past. Though the segregated restaurants, separated seatings, and separate fountains have long since disappeared, the feelings that fueled such action still persist. Advertising is okay and accepted without much thought because it aims to reach a wider audience without malicious intent but rather hopes of broadening a product's market, whereas racism alone targets hate towards a group of people because of their appearance or beliefs/race characterizations.

I believe that advertisers do have an ethical responsibility to make sure that the ads that they run and the people they attempt to target never feel awkward or uneasy in the way their particular race is portrayed. Sometimes people may feel racially targeted, but as I think it is okay as long as there are no negative aspects.

For example, the 2013 Superbowl Volkswagen Commercial conveys the message that Jamaicans are always happy.