Hegemony is an ideology asserted by dominant groups in a society in order maintain power. While this may be confused with obtaining control through brute force, in Hegemony, power is actually achieved through consensus. It does so by making certain ideas a part of everyday life. Through media, people are influenced to embrace the presented perspectives as the social norm.
The concept of hegemony gives me insight into the following Calvin Klein commercial by showing me how companies exploit the physical qualities of men to their advantage.
This commercial is a part of Calvin Klein's X Underwear campaign. Throughout the commercial, the video features close-up shots of attractive, topless men asking whether the audience wants to see their "bleep." Toying with their underwear waistband, the men are presented as confident and provocative. The slogan "X marks the spot" also emphasizes the male organ and highlights the men's masculinity. By including men of different ethnicities such as African American, White, Asian, and Hispanic, the underlying consensus is that all men who wear Calvin Klein underwear naturally have the build and charm that these men have. Because people associate being tough and being a pimp with being a "real man," the commercial targets both males and females from a wide age range, thereby establishing Calvin Klein X Underwear as the underwear that any "real man" should purchase. This is therefore an extremely successful use of hegemony by Calvin Klein.
Picture Source: http://static.thehollywoodgossip.com/images/gallery/calvin-klein-ads_445x333.jpg
No comments:
Post a Comment