This brief is an extension from my CoP practical to where I had studied into the preconceptions of gender and how the constructs of gender have transcended across different mediums which the public have been exposed to such as advertising and the branding of cosmetics.
Research
Below is some of the research I had gathered for my CoP practical. I will highlight key points and understandings that discuss the constructs of gender.
Sut Jhally, a communications professor focus's on Erving Goffman's investigation on advertising and the way gender identity has been presented in different forms of media. Below are my notes from the documentary in which I found were the key points to acknowledge and get a better understanding of to write about in my chapter.
'To recognise someone as male or female is absolutely fundamental to our ability to interact with them.'
'Androginist people pose a challenge to the cultural system that is dependent upon those categories being clear'
'Goffman argues there is nothing natural with gender identity'
Sex - Different biological characteristics at birth
Gender - The cultural definitions given to the physical differences
Categories in western culture
Male Female
Strong Dependent
Intelligent Emotional
Competitive Empathetic
Masculine Feminine
'These traits are made sense of through the categories of culture'
'We learn to inhabit the gender category that we have been assigned from outside from the culture'
Some cultures recognise a third sex -> Middle Sex
- Indian sub continent, theres a whole class of people called Heshra (Could not find real name on google) who are neither male or female, but a third intersex category. Close to a million.
- Ideas and attitudes about gender are shaped by the culture and society that we grew up in.
- Western culture usually operates with a two sex two gender distinction.
- Gender Display: The process whereby we perform the roles expected of up by social convention.
Goffman - Advertising is a form of commercial realism which is trying to present the world in ways it could be real.
The way hands are presented in advertising as male or female. Goffman argues that female hands have a different relationship to male hands.
Feminine hands
- Letting the environment control them - not assertive
- Resting
- Caressing
- Cradling
- Holding things with the ends of fingers
Masculine hands
- Powerful
- Assertive
- Moulding to their environment
- Commanding
- Firm
Goffman also argues it is rare to find themselves in the same way women do.
Images that suggest fragility, softness and powerlessness have became almost exclusively defined as feminine -> in direct opposition to what is authentically defined as masculine.
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We are conditioned to believe that men utilising these postures are not real men.
Female sexuality = Submissive
Powerless
Dependent
Examples:
- Dolce & Gabbana
- Nip tuck
Goffman also argues that occasionally we see the reverse but it is rare.
Ritualisation of subordination
The category ritualisation of subordination means that women are constantly being portrayed lying down on their sides or their backs, physically positioning them closer to the ground, instead of standing up tall and holding their bodies erect, like men often times do. By lowering themselves, this symbolises being less in control of oneself.
In situations you find men laying down in the same position as women in commercial photography.
- What seems to connect these stereotypical poses with the stereotypical male poses is the fact they share the same presumes audience - men
- This embodies cultural assumptions about male desire and about what men want
My summary:
Above it has became apparent from my notes that the construction of gender is distinctive in western culture. Sut Jhally explains that in order for us to communicate with one and another we must present ourselves clearly as male or female or the ability to interact with one and another will be difficult. He explains that androgynous people can pose a threat to the cultural system that depends on those signals being clear. This suggests that one must conform to these constructs in order to feel accepted into society leaving no exceptions for those who do not identify with feminine or masculine. It is also noted that other cultures have different conceptions of gender some cultures such as the Hijrah in India have a third sex gender which does not categorise as female or male. It suggests that we learn to inhibit the gender category by the culture that surrounds us, as the preconceptions of gender are already in place it is hard to become aware of the constructs until shown or told.
These type of constructs also run through cosmetic branding. From previous research gathered it became clear that there was a significant difference in the way cosmetics were being branded for either male or females. Females cosmetics mostly connoted feminine elements whereas the male cosmetics were the opposite containing masculine colours and themes. Bright colours and pastels are used on the female packaging, whilst the male packaging contains dark blues and greys. This suggests that femininity is associated with softness and delicateness suggesting females are gentle by nature, whereas males are to be associated with strength and power.
It appears that there isn't much choice for those who do not identify as male or female therefore a perfect opportunity to create something new and responsive to the issues in society.
To decide the name of the cosmetic brand I decided to start researching into other cultures that have identified a third sex or gender fluidity within their culture.
It became clear that genderqueer, non-binary and agender was someone was did not identify themselves with a specific gender.
Mx - English language honorific for use alongside mr, mrs that does not indicate gender. This would be a useful name for the cosmetic brand as its short and simple and communicates a more neutral approach to the cosmetic.
Two Spirit - Native American culture that identifies four genders within its society: masculine male, feminine male, masculine female and feminine female. This again would be a useful name for the cosmetic brand however, it does not signify a neutral non categorised aspect, but suggests that there is four categories of gender and defeating the purpose of this brief.
Sweden have recently added the word Hen to their dictionary, it's definition if an alternative to the gender specific him or her, it it used when a person would not like to identify as either male or female. This could be a good name to use for the branding as it suggests another cultures way of thinking and that we are moving into an age where the traditional constructs are being challenged. This being brought to western society could eventually shape the culture to a more open minded way of thinking.
Ideas:
Cosmetic range - Running across online platforms
- Showergel
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Moisturiser
- Lip Balm
- Razor
- Swedish aesthetic to support the name: Hen
- Contemporary but approachable aspect, be creative
- Organic
- Non harmful to animals
Existing gender neutral brands:
https://www.behance.net/gallery/36692565/PALMOLIVE
Pamolive have taken a new approach to their brand identity. They have updated their collection with 3 different series; moisturising, balancing and repairing. These adapt to different types of skin rather than choosing from various scents. The new look for Palmolive conveys that products are from "nature's own pharmacy" and that it can reach a whole new level on the market with a timeless, gender-neutral and Scandinavian design. This is something to note for my own cosmetic brand.
https://www.behance.net/gallery/37124499/Mx
Here is another approach at a gender neutral cosmetic. They've taken the name Mx which I had previously researched and used it to communicate their brand. In between the M and X there also appears to be and 'i' which suggest the letters spell mix, this could be on purpose to suggest to the audience the gender neutrality in a clearer way. The colours selected also stay within a neutral tone, ranging from soft greens to blue and yellows. This has successfully kept the brand from appearing either as masculine or feminine.
https://www.behance.net/gallery/34883851/non-Skincare-Brand-and-Packaging-Design
Another brand selected from Behance called Nōn.
"Why Nōn? The prefix ‘non’ implies negation or absence. The simple monosyllabic nature of the word together with its Latin origin lends universal appeal. The copy has been chosen carefully to include only the most essential information and Nōn's slogan: "No pretence. No nonsense."
The website follows this theme by landing on a home page that allows the viewer to read and learn more about the brand essence. This is done by means of the display Nōn's bold mantra. There are no links to other pages, as all the essential information is on the landing page."
The website follows this theme by landing on a home page that allows the viewer to read and learn more about the brand essence. This is done by means of the display Nōn's bold mantra. There are no links to other pages, as all the essential information is on the landing page."
The brand packaging does not suggest any female or male connotations. Although I'm not sure whether the 'medicinal' bottle's they've chosen would make it appealing to their audience. The approach they've taken appears to be successful as they are not only creating a gender neutral brand, but pushing it further by expressing that their products are fuss free, organic and non-harmful to animals; all issues that are being challenged today.
Scandinavian inspiration:
These images were collected from Pinterest after searching for Swedish design. There appears to be a running theme across the interior design, white is used throughout creating brightness and space which is then broken up by earthy bold colours such as brown and copper. As I'm am creating a palette that cannot signify feminine or masculine colours this is a good aspect to take note of. It takes a more neutral approach adding subtle colours and pale greys which balance the bold white and dark colours.
http://food.ndtv.com/beauty/6-amazing-benefits-aloe-vera-hair-skin-weight-loss-1221869
http://wellnessmama.com/7648/calendula-herb-profile/
After researching into different ingredients it helped me decide what ingredients I wanted for each product. I tried to keep it as broad as possible to reach out to the target audience.
Products
Showergel - Quinoa - Locks in moisture
Shampoo - Aloe - Rejuvenates hair with nutrients preventing breakage
Conditioner - Coconut - Smoothes and conditioners hair
Moisturiser - Calundula - Brightens, moistures and protects skin
For my CoP practical the colours I had chosen at the time I thought were a mixture of masculine bold colours and soft feminine colours creating bright colours which I think looks a little awkward as a theme. It does not suggest anything or looks appealing to the target audience, taking a more clinical approach has not benefitted the branding as it does not look friendly or approachable. Therefore for my current brief I want to evaluate my past mistakes and approach this from a fresh more neutral level.
As colours such as blue, green, grey, black and brown all signify a more masculine element, and pink, yellow, red, purple and orange signify a more feminine aspect, it would be useful to experiment with combing these colours. This would take both sets of colours that are associated with a specific gender and combing them to create a new theme, a new palette and way of thinking. The Swedish interior design research has presented colours from a more neutral platform, taking inspiration from the design and using bright and dark colours combined and subtle bright colours could create a classic look and something that anyone would like to purchase no matter what gender.
http://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/natural-skin-care/_/organic-cosmetics-is-natural-better
I decided to do some research into organic ingredients as it would be beneficial to offer something with a lot of quality and not harmful to the skin or hair as well as being non harmful to animals. I discovered that placing 'Organic' on a product can be a marketing scheme as most organic cosmetics still contain ingredients they claim are not in the products. Therefore I would like to investigate into more natural and raw ingredients that have been proven to improve your skin.
"Organic" and "natural" have become typical terms you find on everything from moisturizers to mascaras. You might be surprised to find out that there are no industry standards or regulations for these terms, and there are plenty of natural and organic ingredients that are not good for your skin. Nevertheless, many consumers are still easily seduced by this deep-rooted marketing trend. We understand how appealing natural and organic ingredients sound, but the reality is that these terms are practically meaningless on a cosmetic label."
http://www.organicsurge.com/pages/natural-skin-care-ingredients#
Shea Butter - From the fruit of the karite tree, shea butter works to prevent moisture loss from the skin
Natural Glycerine - A natural humectant which attracts moisture to the skin, allowing it to remain hydrated and soft
Green Tea - Reduces inflammation and acts as natural skin healing agent
Chamomile - Comforts and soothes, maintains skin condition
Vitamin E - A naturally-derived ingredient with anti-oxidant properties, helping to reduce skin inflammation or irritation
Frankincense - Has soothing and relaxing properties whilst promoting facial skin cell rejuvenation by improving blood
Witch Hazel - Anti-inflammatory properties help to reduce puffiness
Eyebright - Used for centuries in natural care, reduces puffiness and redness to visually brighten the eyes
Menthol - Provides a cooling sensation on application, absorbs quickly and is highly effective in reducing puffiness
Marshmallow - Softens and helps to re-condition skin
Walnut Shells - Exfoliating agent which helps rid the skin of dead cells allowing new, rejuvenated skin to surface
Apricot Stones - Exfoliating agent which helps rid the skin of dead cells allowing new, rejuvenated skin to surface
Lychee Extract - Scientifically proven to prolong the radiance of colour-treated hair and improve manageability
Organic Patchouli - Calming and soothing with sensual aroma
Spicy Clove-Bud - Antibacterial and muscle relaxer
Seaweed Extract (Chondrus Crispus) - Rich in proteins and minerals
Marigold - A renowned natural hair brightener and white nettle, which works to improve hair colour, lustre and condition
Comfrey And Echinacea Plant Extracts - Combination recommended by botanists to enhance fine, flyaway hair
Coconut Oil Extract - A natural emollient
http://food.ndtv.com/beauty/6-amazing-benefits-aloe-vera-hair-skin-weight-loss-1221869
http://wellnessmama.com/7648/calendula-herb-profile/
After researching into different ingredients it helped me decide what ingredients I wanted for each product. I tried to keep it as broad as possible to reach out to the target audience.
Products
Showergel - Quinoa - Locks in moisture
Shampoo - Aloe - Rejuvenates hair with nutrients preventing breakage
Conditioner - Coconut - Smoothes and conditioners hair
Moisturiser - Calundula - Brightens, moistures and protects skin
