Feminist Advertisements
by Ankas Wu (吳旭泰)

Figure 1A

Figure 1B

　

In most people’s opinion, women’s clothing, which has become the synonym of fashion, are nothing but to dress women up and to make them more beautiful. However, this traditional conception is subverted by a series of advertisements for “LYCRA” (the trademark of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company in Taiwan). In the ‘LYCRA” advertisements, the ad agent has successfully created an new idea for women about clothing--clothing is not only something to cover your body and make you pretty but also a symbol and a weapon to challenge the male chauvinist ideas. In the following series issues of “LYCRA” ads, from the characterization of their locations, positions, facial expressions, and of course their dresses in the photo, we can find an interesting and clear demonstration of feminist world views. In the following discussion, I select three double-page ads, (figures 1A-1B, figures 2A-2B, and figures 3A-3B) as illustration.

There is no more obstacle for women to choose jobs as long as they want. In figure 1A, the woman wears a “Triumph” underwear; in figure 2B, the model is dressed in is dressed in a “Jessica Suit.” Both “Triumph” underwear and “Jessica Suit” are made of “LYCRA” textile. The “Triumph” wearer dashes in a running race, while the “Jessica Suit” wearer engages in a football game. The ad agent is telling the potential customers that women can do their jobs as well as men do, even in those jobs which traditionally belong to the male only. Moreover, the ad agent gives women a hint that they can do better after they dress themselves in “LYCRA” Now, if we compare figure 1 with the other “LYCRA” ads, we can find some interesting differences and similarities.

Figure 2A

Figure 2B

Women are more and more independent and powerful in our society. In figure 2A, an earlier issue of “LYCRA” ad, there is a women in the photo who seems to take a pole vault, but the photo doesn’t show us where and what is the obstacle of her vault. If we search for an inner meaning in the photo, the obstacle symbolizes every kind if problems to women in every parts of life, including sexual discrimination and male chauvinism. This is an indirect way to show the feminist concern for social identify. In figures 1A and !B, the woman in the running race and the one in the football game are struggling with men and surpasses them ; in a latter ad example, a women in the water-skiing (figure 3A) and a woman in the boxing match (figure 3B) have defeated men easily and get higher positions than men . This shows a feminist consciousness to overpass the male way. It also tells female audience that women can defeat men easily, instead of following and obeying them in every domains of life .　

Figure 3A

Figure 3B

Nowadays, for women, there is no more restriction about how and when to dress themselves. There is a similarity in these series of ads: these five female models in these three ads dress themselves improperly and informally. Anyhow, the women easily defeat those men who dress themselves correctly. This contrast seems to be a sneer to the decorum of women’s clothing and an irony to men’s chauvinism--that women can defeat men even though they are not well-prepared in physiques or get less material and spiritual supports from the social system. The ad agent tries to tell women that they should choose the clothes that make them comfortable and confident, such as the LYCRA clothing .

In addition to the sense of “triumph,” the ad agent also emphasizes the grace and leisuredness of in their career whenever they wear the LYCRA clothing. In these three ads , all those five women take their time on their works ; in contrast , those men are so tired and exhausted. It has molded an illusion that women who dressed in LYCRA clothing become the Superwomen. The blue underwear and red tight suits are like the red cap and blue underwear for the “Superman.

Everyone needs love, and love always takes an important part in human’s life. None, even those most radical feminists, can resist the power and the lure of love. For this reason, we can analyze these “LYCRA” ads from a common woman’s views instead of from the feminist’s. In these issues of “ LYCRA ” ads, we can explain that those women in photos are adored by men and has captured men’s hearts because they dress in the LYCRA clothing. In this part, the ad agent also tries to tell the female customers that as long as they dress in LYCRA, they can be attractive and charming as those women in the ads.

These series issues of “ LYCRA ” ads appeared in the Global Views Monthly (遠見雜誌), and that means the ad agent always knows clearly to whom they are addressed to--those career women who are successful in their career, no matter they are feminists or not. Honestly speaking, these “LYCRA” ads succeed in deliver the career women to the manufacture.