Chris R. Kirkham & Weller. Cosmetics: A Clinique Case Study.

Chris Refsdal
10/12/07
WGS 220-05
Kirkham, Pat; Weller, Alex. Cosmetics: A Clinique Case Study. (pgs. 268-273)

Description:

• Clinique advertisements for male products draw upon masculine stereotypes in order to target men for a traditionally feminine product. (pg. 273)
  

Analysis:

• Advertisement and product designs for men’s products have simple color tones, such as black and white commercials or gray and blue colored tubes. These emphasize simplicity, rationality, and realism. Female products and advertisements come in a range of light pastel colors meant to symbolize softness, purity, and innocence. (pg. 269)
• Male-oriented language that describes ideas like science, rationalism, and efficiency is used when advertising men’s products. Words like “convenient”, “simple”, “no-nonsense”, and “unscented” embody these ideas. (pg. 270)
• Most feminine Clinique products do not bear any text besides the word “Clinique”, whereas men’s products have the subtitle “Skin Supplies for Men” and a description of the product itself. It is assumed that women will know what a product is simply by looking at the package, but additional text is added for men to emphasize that the product is for them. (pg. 272)
  

Vision:

• Traditionally feminine products do not need to be legitimized using stereotypes in order to appeal to males. (pg. 273)
  

Strategy:

• The fact that these advertisements exist gives men and women the opportunity to negotiate the anxieties that arise from their use of stereotypes. (pg. 273)