Media Messages and Critical Pedagogy #2

Whose message is this? Who created or paid for it? Why?

•  Maybelline of New York. They want to sell their product.

Who is the “target audience”? What is their age, ethnicity, class, profession, interests, etc.?

• The target audience is women, girls or tweens who want to have pretty nails like Sarah Michele Geller. This audience crosses all ages, ethnicities, classes, and professions.

What words, images or sounds suggest this?

• Maybelline is a well-known beauty product that has been making women beautiful for many decades. Just ‘Maybelline’ in big bold letters tells the consumer of quality. The subtext NEW YORK tells where the headquarters are located.

What is the “text” of the message?

• Ms Geller is portrayed in a bright red dress with a sky blue background and a white anarondeck chair which signifies summer fun. Her finger nails are polished the same color as her dress. On the other side is the type of polish and all of the summer colors.

What is the “subtext” of the message?

•  Explanation of the product in smaller but equally bright print that last for 5 days without chipping.

What kind of lifestyle is presented?

• Women  or men with disposable income, are impulse buyers, with a 16 year old girl shopping .

What values are expressed?

•  No one likes chipped nail color and by using this nail polish you will have that ‘just polished look’ for 5 days.

What “tools of persuasion” are used?

• Sarah Michelle Geller , cute celebrity, bright bold summer colors.

What positive messages are presented?

• You will look as good as Ms Geller if you wear this finger nail polish. What negative messages are presented? You are a loser if you don’t wear this nail polish.

What groups of people does this message empower?

• Everyone is empowered. Regardless of your status or income nail polish is an affordable way to make one feel better about themselves. 

How does this serve the media maker's interests?

•  It makes profits.

What part of the story is not being told?

• That Maybelline is capitalist and they are only into beauty for the money. Women want to beautiful .How and where could you get more information about the untold stories? Google Maybelline

What are the taken for granted realities?

• Life is perfect if you wear this nail polish.

What power relations are exposed as a result of your deconstruction?

• The student is becoming an expert.