Smart Water and the Body

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            Normally advertisements do not make me think, however, when I saw this ad I asked myself, why is she naked if she is selling water? In another set of advertisements for smart water a male celebrity is shown clothed and working out.  In this ad series, Jennifer Aniston is shown topless and in various poses.  In the ad that I focused on, she is kissing the water as though it were significant to her in some way.  It made me wonder why this water was so special, although I never went out to investigate myself.

            The advertisement is selling sexualized water.  Their tag line “Pure Infatuation: Yeah, we get it, we’re pretty obsessed with vapor-distilled purity too” can almost be mistake for sexual desire.  “Pure Infatuation” is in bold lettering with different tints of blue used against their plain background making it stand out and catch the viewers’ attention.  Having her kiss the bottle adds to the sexualization of the tag line. 

            The ad plays well to both genders.  To women, a successful and beautiful women is drinking this water and to men, an attractive women is kissing the bottle.  People who see her as successful and beautiful might buy it to try to be like her while people see her as attractive and acting in a sexual way might buy it to try to find women like her.  The advertisement makes you feel like you need that brand of water because it is different and appears to make you fit and attractive. 

The ad is stereotypical.  Women are generally seen as more health obsessed than men in terms of buying expensive products such as the water they are trying to sell here.  The water is in turn being shown with a thin woman.  It also follows the idea that women should be attractive but not strong.  Unlike in other advertisements, her muscles are either not shown or emphasized.  The ad is harmful, in my opinion, because of the body image that it portrays.

The Rising of Popular Culture: A Historiographical Sketch by LeRoy Ashby

A few historians who shared the views of historian Lawrence Levine began to look at different mediums of entertainment and its impact on society.  Sklar talked about the motion picture business and how it was the first medium to not have culturally elite men running it.  Harris talked about the arts to talk about the transformation of society.  Toll looked at the racism of the minstrel shows and how it impacted views on African-Americans and the south.  Douglas looked into feminism and why female writers were ignored.  Levine’s ideas and works helped lead to new views on society and new looks at the minorities of popular culture and how they shaped society.

            Later, in the 1990’s, scholars debated popular culture.  Lipsitz argued that mass media lead to “exploitive social hierarchies (pg. 13).”  Susan Smulyan argued that the audience choice and industry control have left the industry lopsided.  These ideas are interesting because the definition of popular culture and how it works seems to be different for everyone.

            My own definition has morphed from just being about what television shows or music is popular to a much more complex definition.  Now I see popular culture as what is defined and accepted by the masses, be it a song, clothing style or even a haircut.  I also do not see it as just the younger generations defining it, especially now that I realize that older people who run the companies can often start a trend.