Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: This study compared the men's magazines of China and the United States on how men's images are portrayed in men's cosmetics advertisements through examining male models' image, advertisement color display, degree of nudity of models, setting, type of cosmetics and racial type.A content analysis of 310 male cosmetics advertisements with a total of 356 models from four Chinese men's lifestyle magazines: Men's Health, Maxim, Esquire and FHM, and four U.S. men's lifestyle magazines: GQ, Men's Health, Maxim and Esquire between January 1, 2006, and December 30, 2006 indicates that male cosmetics advertisements replicated men's stereotypical image no matter in Chinese magazines or in U.S. magazines.This study found that the majority of the advertisements featured males in non working setting, indicating that men are now more willing to do something different.Cold and neutral colors were the main colors displayed in men's cosmetics advertisements, reflecting the impression about male stereotype as individual and independent image.Regarding the degree of nudity of models, male models tended to wear more in male cosmetics advertisements both in Chinese and U.S. magazines, indicating that male models in cosmetics advertisements was not often used as a purpose to adorn and enhance the product.Additionally, the study found that body care products, especially fragrance, dominated male cosmetics advertisements in U.S. magazines, while Chinese magazines concentrated both on body care products and face care products.This iv study also found that Caucasian models were more visible in Chinese magazines, while Chinese models were not found in U.S. magazines.
Author: Wei Feng
Institution: Ohio University
Language: English
Subfield: Gender Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2201581355