“’Diesel’ for ‘Being Stupid.’” By Emmaline Owens CMC-100

Context. Main text: “You’ll Spend more time with your Boss.” Campaign slogan: “Be Stupid” Under the “Diesel” logo: “for successful living” Features of Image: Young girl topless in bed with what we can suspect is an attractive man. -His arm is resting on her back, but he appears to be sleeping. -She is looking directly at the camera, smirking. She is aware of audience. -Appears to be happy with herself. -Wearing jeans, leg kicked up in the air.

Thesis. Diesel recently came out with a new advertising campaign featuring the slogan “be stupid.” One advertisement featured in this campaign depicts a topless woman in bed next to a shirtless male. The copy on this particular advertisement is “you’ll spend more time with your boss.” This advertisement appears to encourage young woman to “be stupid” or make decisions they wouldn’t typically make in order to achieve Diesel’s motto “for successful living.” In addition, I think that through the feminization of the male subject in this advertisement, the “male gaze” or the ever-present “straight” male audience exposes a sense of female empowerment in order to attract a specific female consumer.

Feminization of Male Subject NYLON magazine: trendy, urban, stylish, young demographic etc. “for successful living”—selling a lifestyle, “branding” Subject in the image are young, attractive. “Tighty whities” No shirt Female hips (Appears to be curvy)—”Child bearing hips”—vulnerability and idea of “being a woman”

Awareness of Audience Taking back the “male gaze” Woman is aware of the audience/”male gaze” “Foot popped”/”smirk”—positive, confident, happy—pleased with situation More clothed—less vulnerable Last wave of feminism—”self reflecting,” empowerment, irony Is she using him?—Seduction

Seduction/Manipulation Is she using him? Manipulation/seduction with her body in for selfish reasons Climbing career ladder? “Smirk”— “outsmarting,” “making fun” of male in this situation Male is sleeping---completely unaware of audience (“male gaze”) and unaware of girls possible motives—”you’ll spend more time with your BOSS”—”boss, employee” relationship.

Conclusion. I think that the context of this advertisement in many ways goes against the commonly developed sexualized image of woman used in most forms of media, specifically in advertising. I believe that, in contrast, this advertisement’s goal was to sexualize the male subject similarly to the way woman most often are. The male in this advertisement is not only feminized but he is also unaware of his audience, which presents him in a relatively vulnerable manor. The woman on the other hand is aware of the “male gaze” and yet appears to be confident. I believe that he differences in the depictions of the two subjects lends to the fact that the advertisement seems to be encouraging women to “take back the male gaze.” I also think by almost switching the roles of male and female in this advertisement the brand is giving us an idea of their demographic. I think that by developing a “be stupid” campaign Diesel is looking to appeal to a demographic that is looking to “go against the grain” and do things that people may not normally do. In addition by empowering the young female subject through her body position and facial expression and by alluding to the fact that she may be manipulating her unaware boss, I believe the brand is looking to appeal to a youthful, self-reflective, and rebellious female demographic.