Score Advert

Advertising: Score case study and wider reading 

1) What year was the advert produced and why is the historical context important?
It was released in 1967 which is important because there was legislation on the role of women. It was also the year of decriminalisation of homosexuality and was just before the Equal Pay Act 1970.


2) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the advert (CLAMPS): how is costume, make-up and placement of models constructed to show male dominance?
In the advert they have used given the women small amounts of clothing, to show that they are more vulnerable than the covered up male. Also, they have placed all the women below the man, so they are carrying him and looking up to him, to show that he is more superior than them. The fact that the man is carrying a gun also shows his power over the women.


3) The main slogan is: 'Get what you've always wanted'. What does this suggest to the audience and how does it reflect the social and cultural context of 1967?
The slogan implies to the audience that everyone’s goal is to be carried and surrounded by pretty women all looking up to them. This reflects the social context of the time, which was that homosexuality still wasn't accepted by many members of society, and that women were inferior to men.


4) Why is it significant that the advert text says it is "made by men" and that it also contains "Score's famous masculine scent"?

These slogans are significant as they highlight to the audience that the product is made entirely by men for men, to emphasise the masculinity of it. It also implies that men are more powerful than women as they aren't allowed to use this product.

5) What representation of sexuality can be found in the advert?
In the advert women are very sexualised, for example, they have very little clothing on and have make-up on to please the man. Furthermore, they are all carrying the man around and looking up at him to show that they are inferior.


6) How does the advert reflect representations of masculinity in advertising 50 years ago?
The advert reflects men of 50 years ago to be very confident and powerful as they believe they are superior to women and can control them. Also, it presents them as quite demanding because they go through the trouble of doing thing to get women to like them, e.g. buying hair cream.


7) How much do you think things have changed with regards to representations of masculinity in advertising?

The number of masculine adverts has decreased in recent years, however there are still many out there that make women seem inferior to men. Furthermore, the way they represent men now shows them to not want just women but possibly men too as now days being homosexual is widely accepted.

The Drum: This Boy Can article


1) Why does the writer suggest that we may face a "growing 'boy crisis'"?




2) How has the Axe/Lynx brand changed its marketing to present a different representation of masculinity?




3) How does campaigner David Brockway, quoted in the article, suggest advertisers "totally reinvent gender constructs"?




4) How have changes in family and society altered how brands are targeting their products?




5) Why does Fernando Desouches, Axe/Lynx global brand development director, say you've got to "set the platform" before you explode the myth of masculinity?