For this assignment, compare and contrast the advertising content of three magazines. Choose one magazine that was published within the last year from each of these three categories: A, B and C. A free version of each of these magazines can be found on the internet. You can use the online free version or the actual magazine for this assignment.
A: Time, Newsweek, or U.S. News and World Report
B: Cosmopolitan, Elle, or Vogue
C: Maxim, Sports Illustrated, or GQ
Flip through the magazines and compare the types of ads for: 1) personal accessories, 2) food, 3) beverages, 4) clothing, and 5) physical bodies. Then, answer the following questions:
1. Identify the magazine that used the most stereotypes of race/ethnicity to sell a product. Explain the stereotype, and provide a specific example to support your analysis.
2. Identify the magazine that showed women older than 55 years selling a product. What was the product? Explain why an older woman would be a good icon for advertising that particular product.
3. Which magazine used gender stereotypes of bodies the most? Explain the body types in the advertisements of women compared to men and reference specific examples.
4. Identify the one ad that you found most appealing. Analyze why the ad was appealing to you using critical thinking. What did you like about the ad? How did what you like conform to the stereotypes, trends, and images discussed in the textbook?
5. Identify how many ads contradicted gender stereotypes. Explain one ad that contradicted gender stereotypes. What magazine was the ad in? What was the product advertised? How did the ad contradict the stereotype?
