Representation

Representation is the way media chooses to portray certain types of people or communities. Certain groups who are underrepresented in Western media include women, people of color, LGBTQA+, and the elderly. There has been an increase of diversity in the media, but the process has been steady and slow.

In the Axe commerical, large crowds of women dressed in bikinis are shown running after a single man using axe body spray. In regards to the women in the video, there is slight racial diversity present, since there are some women of color shown in the video. Despite this, most of the women are white and appear to be at least middle-class. There is no range of body types shown, as they are all slim and appear to have an “ideal” hourglass body shape. Audiences viewing this commercial who don’t have this ideal body figure may feel insecure about themselves since they don’t live up to society’s standards of what an attractive woman is. Additionally, the man in the video appears to be gratified because of all the woman running towards him like animals chasing their prey. The advertisement is solciting the message that attracting women in such a manner is some type of achievement, therefore one should use the axe body spray in order to reach this goal. This might cause men to oversexualize women in general, and solely view them as sexual objects they must obtain.

Conversely, the H&M commercial displays great diversity, showing many different races, ages, genders, sexualities, body types, religions, and even disabilities. People of color, the elderly, and a man with a prosthetic leg are just a few specific examples of the representation showcased in the video. Audiences viewing this commercial will certainly feel more included in society as they can potentially be seeing someone who resembles them on-screen, which could also increase their self-esteem. Furthermore, this allows those belonging in minority and marginalized groups to feel validated for who they are. Diversity in the media is important because it provides an accurate reflection of our multicultural and multiracial world.