Are You MAN Enough to be at My Gym?

Advertisements are a major culprit of perpetuating toxic masculinity; this has been an important component to various discussions in this course. A great example of a company which targets masculinity in their advertisements is AXE body spray. I’ve utilized this company and the following equation to explain the basic premise of most of their advertisements: average man plus AXE body spray equals a strong and sexy lady’s man. This type of advertising can be seen in many products and services targeted towards men.

I’m sure we’ve all encountered varying levels of targeted, sponsored ads while using social media. For example, you might search Google for a new pair of shoes and then become inundated with ads for shoes when you open social media apps. While getting ready to eat dinner today, my partner was scrolling through his Facebook feed. He is a male who is 26 years old; this makes him a part of the target audience for many of the ads which perpetuate a toxic view of masculinity. I see him roll his eyes and pass me his phone so I can see this ad for a gym, which I’ve included a photo of below. The ad depicts a fairly average looking man trying to seem tough and punching towards the camera in boxing gloves. The text reads, “Calling All Winter Park MEN!” The imagery of this ad tries to convey how men can start to look and act tough by going to the gym; it depicts an average-looking man who is not threatening, but still “man enough” to go to this gym. This plays into men acting tough and seeming hard. The text over the photo also implies that only “real men” could withstand this workout. It isn’t something for “sissies” or “chicks” because it’s too difficult and tough.

Examining the text in the caption, it reads: “We’re giving 20 first-timers a 2 WEEK PASS…” The use of the phrase “first-timers” could tap into multiple places of insecurity for men. This phrase signifies a general sense of inexperience, which could signify a lack of ability to do “man’s work.” This also plays into “first-timers” in terms of someone who is a virgin. Society has made it so that any man who is a virgin at a certain age is a “dorky loser who just can’t get laid.” In pop culture, these types of virgin male characters tend to be portrayed as feminine, nerdy, and are the brunt of many jokes at the expense of their masculinity.

Advertisements are an interesting study in terms of masculinity. It is important to be aware of the messaging and tactics used by many companies.