Ellie's Reading Response #3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nfGQ0FVooU&feature=related
The commercial that I chose to analyze is a Suave commercial. Suave is a line of beauty products sold for men, women, and children. This commercial is specifically geared toward mothers, and what one might consider the “typical” mother. The commercial begins with a woman who is about college age. There is a blank background, so all that we gather from this woman is because or her clothing. She is wearing an engagement ring by her fourth outfit, followed be her wearing a wedding dress. Then she goes through the stages of her first pregnancy and gives birth to a boy. This is followed by her second pregnancy with a girl. By watching this commercial you can see that the mother has her hands full. We see her children are interested in the normal activities of small children, such as playing dress up. We also see that the mother takes care of the family dog as well as other household responsibilities such as sweeping, washing the dishes, cooking and taking out the trash. These visuals are followed by a statement that,”89% of moms admit they’ve let themselves go.” Some of these ways of letting go are shown through sloppiness, inability to upkeep hair and facial routines and the silly ways moms dress up for certain occasions. This statement is counteracted when Suave proclaims that, “100% can get themselves back.” After this claim, the mother’s hair gleams, and she is proudly holding her stomach displaying her third birth while her children and dog run around her. Suave finally says, “Say yes to beautiful, without paying the price.”
I see that the cultural myth the ad is telling us is that if we, as women decide to become mothers we will not have the time, the money or the patience to maintain our beauty. I think that this commercial is also speaking to men in that sense. That if they marry, their wife will eventually lose her radiance and ability to look as good as she used to. The commercial also shows us the narrative of the American dream. The woman has all that she wants in the sense of the American dream. She has her 2.3 children, a family dog, and she completes all the tasks that are expected of a good housewife. She may not look like June Cleaver, but she is performing seemingly well for American culture. The cultural knowledge that is required to understand this is the importance of one’s self image in society. Culturally you would have to understand that for a mother to step foot out of her house looking the way that the mother in the commercial did, is unheard of. Mothers are mothers after all and they have to be the ultimate role models next to athletes and movie stars. They can not let their guard down or look incomplete or unfashionable. This statement ties in with the idea that women who are not mothers and have other professions are expected to look presentable, so why would mothers be able to get away with frumpiness. I do not agree with this myth whatsoever. I believe that all women are responsible in their professions. I do not believe that mothers should always be expected to look glamorous everyday; we are all entitled to bad hair days, dress days, and so on. The way that the commercial advocates that mothers do not keep up with themselves is untrue in my opinion. I have seen plenty of mothers who do look very nice each and everyday and who do take a second to look at their reflection before walking out of their home. This commercial does advertise well for the company, and how their products are affordable for the busy mother, and how busy a mother is and can be. Finally, the myth that they portray is just a myth and while mothers are busy, they are women who live in our American culture and society where it is difficult to separate yourself from at least a minimal routine of beauty enhancement.