Introduction Advertisements are an everyday thing that you will experience. These advertisements can be found on the TV, on your way to work, in the paper, or in a magazine. Ads are meant to be seen, and their message is meant to be heard. Many ads have always incorporated a part of society into it. Whether this be music, race, patriotism, sexism, or sexuality, ads are meant to define society. Ads are based off what society believes are social norms, standards, and values currently in society.
Sociology in Advertising
DOVE: “Dove VisibleCare” (Print Media) Racism

To start off the analysis of this advertisement, we must identify the target audience. Although it can be debated or perceived in a different way, it seems plausible that the target audience for this advertisement is an African American woman who desires to have smoother skin. This is based off the positioning of the models in relation to one another, which not only provides clues about who the target audience is but also the racial ideologies that are still prevalent in society today. All three female models in the advertisement appear to be of different race judging from their skin color. Whether Dove meant to line them up like this or not, they are lined up from darkest to lightest starting from left to right. It is also ironic to note the two panels in the background. The panels are a representation of “before” and “after” pictures of what skin might look like before and after using Dove’s product. The panel behind the African American model is the “before” picture, which depicts the skin as being cracked and dry. In contrast to the “after” panel on the right, it shows the skin as soft and healthy. These subtle aspects of the advertisement convey that society still often considers the white female as the “ideal” as presented through media and the advertising industry.
Dolce &