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Ladies And Gentlemen: You Too Could Have It All

Marilyn Monroe, Marlboro Man, Hugh Heffner, Pamela Anderson, and The Rock are all examples of the society of idols whom the American public has looked up to in various media forms.   In today's society there are many gender and social stereotypes that remain a prevalent part of the advertising tactics of the media.   In the particular ad that I have chosen are examples of gender stereotypes that I would like to analyze and discuss using Douglas Kellner's article "Advertising Images".   Kellner states that the tobacco industry in both the past and present use subliminal messages with the intention of portraying lifestyles and choices to the American public.   Cigarette ads in particular, Kellner argues, "contribute to identity formation in contemporary society" (188).   In this analysis I will show that Kellner's ideas of identity formation are located throughout the Camel ad that I will analyze.  
In a Camel cigarette ad from Rolling Stone Magazine is the classic Marilyn Monroe pose with a woman standing center stage as men fawn all over her with smiles and outstretched hands.   The woman is dressed in a high-class, strapless evening gown as she smokes a cigarette using a holder so she doesn't blacken her gloves.   She is blonde because "blondes always have more fun" and she has perfect hair, perfect teeth and a very flashy smile.   The entire scene, a woman on a raised stage with men around, hands out stretched with tips, portrays the atmosphere to be that of a Strip Club or a Gentlemen's Club where she might be performing on stage.   The spotlight is on her as she seductively moves in front of a blue, sparkle curtain.   The men located at the bottom of the ad are also very well dressed in suits or tuxedos. Good-looking gentlemen, they smile at the woman as they reach out to her with hands and trays of Camel's finest in three different varieties.   They all seem to be enjoying the show and offering her their gifts of pleasure in the form of cigarettes in exchange for...