Zebra_Windhoek Observer_10 -16 April 2015

Name of article: Zebra

Name of Publication: Windhoek Observer

Date:  10 -16 April 2015

Country: Namibia

Theme: Young Women

Genre: Advert

GEM Classification: Blatant Stereotype

Skill: Language

The advertisement is on the Hosea Kutako International Airport duty free shop and the products in the shop. It uses a half-naked woman in the image to deliver the message and the product. It covers a full page.

This advert is a blatant stereotype. It is reducing women’s bodies to commodities. It speaks to the extent to which the advertising industry has low regard of women. This advert affirms the notion that women’s bodies sell everything from food to cars. It highlights the entrenched beliefs that women and women’s bodies especially sell in the advertising industry.

It is a typical example of using women’s sexuality to sell products that have no bearing on their sexuality or enhance their being.

At first glance, one would ordinarily assume that the advert is possibly selling, a lipstick or an animal print bra. This is could be indicated by the text, “Zebra” of which can point to the Zebra print woman’s bras has a. The woman’s face is cut half-ways putting emphasis only a small portion of the nose, side of the face and the lips. This reflects some dismemberment of the female bodies to reveal certain ideas. In addition, the woman is raising one arm, which is barely visible in the advert. One would assume that she is bearing it all in this case bearing her breasts and torso, which is right in the middle of the whole page. The visual image has three quarters of the space on the page overshadowing the little text, which is actually the message the advert is selling.

The half-naked woman is used in the advert to draw the reader to it. The woman’s body and the text used do not correlate. The image will make the reader want to read what the advert is focusing on. Only then can one know that the advert is selling the duty free shop and its products.