"Once upon a time, there was a goddess and a hunter,
She was beautiful and he couldn't help himself,
so he did something kind of crazy,
(Close up of the arrow he shoots at her, labelled "Magic Love Arrow")
(After shooting her, Brittany continues)
And they live happily ever after,
Fantasy, Everybody has one"
I too wanted to step away from the mundane cleaning products.
This commercial is short, and probably cost way more than it was worth, but that is beside the point.
The point is, the women (Brittany) is running from a man. She is in a magical forest, like the fairytale princesses we read about as children. The reason she is running, is to be shot, literally, in the back by the man. That is how her fantasy turns out. Her romantic notion is fulfilled by a man shooting her in the back with a suction cupped arrow, so they can be together. It is a wonder that little girls or even teens, see romance in another light.
The man catching the women makes her his pray. The prey is the submissive partner in that game, which can be said for a women's role in life. To be submissive to those around her.
This also takes on the element of the forbidden fruit, similar in the Nina Ricci Perfume commercial. These women are in a forest or by the tree that Eve took the forbidden apple, thereby tempting men into sin. Brittany, in her commercial can also be seen as the seductress who lures the man into doing something "crazy", but in the end his violent act is accepted because he now holds his power over her, keeping her in her rightful place.
And who can forget the parting line, "and they live happily ever after..." just like in fairytales. But realistically, who is living happily? The women or the man?
~ Rosebud
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrHweq5aOyw
ReplyDeletehere is the link for the commercial
I also forgot to mention a few other characteristics of the commercial.
Her age; young, healthy and societies view of "beautiful"
She is white, most likely upper class by her speech and her clothing (If we consider that she is truly the pop sensation Brittany Spears we know she is in the upper-upper class and is incredibly wealthy)
She is also clearly heterosexual because her fantasy involves a man that "can't help himself" because of her "beauty". Therefore she portrays the sexuality of a heterosexual women.
which group are you in rosebud?
ReplyDeleteI've seen this commercial before, and it KILLS me, its so stereo-typically heterosexual its almost painful. She is shot like some wild animal, and falls mindlessly into his arms, eerily similar to the way women were absolutely taken by the men in harlequin romances. Oh heterosexual norms!
ReplyDeleteSushi Warrior
I like your analisis on this commericial,
ReplyDeleteIts also almost a night and shinning armour ideal, in order for her to be 'saved' she must then be shot of her 'humanity' and then to become whole again she must be taken care of her night in order to live happily.
But come on really? Happilly ever after from a perfume that has pharamones. A little out there but is excepted by the culture of our continual oppression. That keeps women in there place beneath the white- middle -class- abled- male.
--GOD---