Gendering Roles in Clinique Advertising

Kirkham and Weller’s article, Cosmetic:s A Clinique Case Study, examines the gendering of Clinique toiletry for men and women and how advertising affects the gendering coding of the products. There are a variety of factors , from product packaging to the informative text, that play a significant role in the breakdown of distinguishing male an d female advertising. One of the significant factors in the presentation of products for both men and women are the use of colour in the advertisements. “Cosmetic advertisements frequently use colour as an ‘objective correlation,’ that is, the colour of a product and its surroundings are used to link and enhance the qualities and style of that product. Not surprisingly, therefore, colour plays an important role in the gender differentiation of Clinique products”(269). The packagings for men are mostly dark colors. The grays, midnight blues, blacks, dark greens are the dominant colours that we see on the bottles or tubes. These colors are associated with the seriousness and “matter of fact” tone that underlies masculinity. In comparison, the packaging for women are presented in transparent bottles with colours than vary in pastel and softer colours including baby pinks, yellows, creams, and light blues. These colours are chosen to enhance the feelings of gentleness, softness, elegance, purity, and other female attributes that define “femininity.” The advertising conventions are not limited to the packaging but are equally affirmed in the product itself. “The flat cake of ‘male’ soap is ivory whereas the rounder, softer-shaped bar of ‘women’s’ soap is more yellow” (269). Cosmetics are created in a way to offer simplicity yet an attractive appearance for women; because women want to be perceived as “beautiful, charming, sensitive to the touch, glowing, and radiant.” Kirkham and Weller model the effectiveness advertising has on both men and women.