Identity stereotypes and advertisements

Humans have utilized sights, sounds, and words to communicate with the masses for centuries. A close examination of photographs demonstrates that commercial and political public relations frequently use social and psychological ideas to attain their goals. Advertisers have mastered the art of leveraging societal stereotypes to capture the attention of a public that is constantly triggered by particular messages. According to Berger (2008, p. 45), the emergence of advanced image-creation methods such as oil paints and photography had a significant impact on public communication tactics. Innovative methods of reproducing advertising images coincided with the industrial revolution, which simultaneously revolutionized the world's social-economic landscape. Berger (2008, p. 45) asserts that publicity or advertisements became an integral part of capitalism because of its ability to program the minds of the masses using stereotypes. O'Brien and Szeman (2014) explain that the society was divided along class and gender lines using publicity images that continue to be reproduced to the advantage of the business owners. A critical look at a print advert of Lexus luxury sedan reveals that marketers still rely on sexuality and gender identity stereotypes to promote products. The advert reproduces stereotypes of identity concerning luxury living and challenges the notion of female sexuality and nudity.
The advert features a luxury dark car and two people standing beside it, a lady and man. Both are smartly dressed such that they may be going out on a date or attending a party because the setting is at night. The lady and the gentleman are standing close and directly opposite each other to suggest they share an intimate relationship. At the background of the image is what appears to be a lounge with a couple sited and one man is standing. The auspiciously visible caption reads "Arrive fashionably. Never late." The entire advertisement communicates the message of comfortable living that is synonymous with middle-class individuals in different parts of the world. It encourages the audience to purchase the car, not because of its features or functionality, but the image of success it bestows upon the owner.
The society identifies the middle-class because of their tendency to spend money on luxurious products for the sake of making a social statement. Cavusoglu and Dakhli (2016) assert that since the time of industrialization in the early 20th century, commercial entities have used persuasive adverts that encourage consumerism culture. The middle-class individual is always under social pressure to fit into the social cocoon that is defined by their ability to spend their earnings on opulence. The ambiance and message of the advert point to the fact that people need to get into the stereotypical role of enjoying life while it lasts. They need to flow with the fashion that includes buying the latest brands of vehicles, clothing, and electronics. Any advert that appeals to those particular senses of the middle class is bound to get positive responses in form of sales.
However, the same advert seems to challenge the stereotype of female nudity and sexuality. It is common for many car sellers to use images of scantily dressed ladies as a way to attract male buyers. Cavusoglu & Dakhli (2016) claims that female sexuality has always been a key message in publicity. Traditionally, men make major purchasing decisions in the family such as buying a house or a car. By the use of a sexy female image, the advertisers are sure to attract the attention of the men who are most likely to purchase the product as a symbol of success. Furthermore, the sexy female body is often stereotyped as a trophy to reward successful men in the society (Adams & Raisborough, 2008). The Lexus advert seems to defy the tradition because it presents the image of a decent lady standing next to a man. It appears that the two are both successful and none is dependent on the other. The ad does give any signal on who owns the luxury car in the picture. Either the man or the lady could be the owner. This is unlike the usual narrative in publicity messages where the men are portrayed as being financially stronger than the women.
The concept of fashion and popular culture has continued to help businesses sell their products and services. Individual tend to indulge in products and services so that they look fashionable or get a taste of the popular culture in the society. The advert explicitly urges the audience to be "fashionable" and implicitly suggest the society should embrace the spending popular culture. O'Brien and Szeman (2014) argue that although the society paints the man as the provider or financier in any "normal" relationship, modernity has seen a new crop of women who are not dependent on men. Nonetheless, the message of luxury spending is still critical in promoting sales. In the advert, the setting suggests a night-out scenario that is common in most urban centers. During such instances, individuals or couples from the middle-class step out into the night with designer clothing and luxury cars, such as the Lexus. They go to shopping malls and night clubs where they spend their earnings on food, drinks, and other products. It is the modern way of men winning the approval of their dates. The men have to show a high level of class and success. Therefore, the same advert can be interpreted as the man taking out his date using the luxury car.
The advert clearly reproduces the stereotypical identity of a successful man in the modern society. Sociological theories point to the fact that human beings are motivated to excel in life. They want to reach the pinnacle of their lives and hate it when they are struggling in life. Social learning theory suggests that human beings program their minds on the ideals of the society by observing others while growing up (O'Brien, & Szeman, 2014). What registers as valuable to an individual has everything to do with social learning that occurs through nurturing that starts from infancy and continues to adulthood. Berger (2008) points to the fact that publicity has shaped the standards of success in the society. The public associate prosperity with what they see in the media every day as displayed in adverts, movies, and TV programs. In this case, the Lexus advert implies that the symbols of success include buying a luxury car and having a beautiful woman or handsome man. It is a stereotype image that forces the middle class to go after the best cars in the market and pursue the most beautiful women around them.
In marketing slogan on the image complements the overall message of the advert that encourages spending by the wealthy class in the society. The caption points out that the point into just reaching a destination but doing so in style. That is the drive pushing individuals to buy luxury products because they offer more than function. According to Cavusoglu and Dakhli (2016), the middle class has been the target for most luxury products in the market. Since the early 20th century they have been on a continuous streak of "lifestyle motivated purchasing." They may have good functioning vehicles but would not mind getting another that looks more fashionable. That is why manufacturers release new versions of the same product every year to satisfy the cravings of the consumerism generation. O'Brien and Szeman. (2014) argue that a section of the society has been converted into buying machines that are programmed to react to any enticing marketing message. The capitalists seek to maintain the stereotype identity of the middle that will guarantee them sales of all the products they avail in the market.
In conclusion, the advertisements reproduce and challenge some typical identity stereotypes in the society. The publicity upholds the stereotypical image of the middle class who are often willing to spend on luxury products to sustain their social image. The so-called successful class of the society loves to be seen with luxurious vehicles and women around entertainment joints. Therefore, the image used in the advert triggers their senses and motivates them to purchase the advertised product. However, the advert does not portray the woman as a sexual object like most adverts tends to do. Instead, both the lady and the gentleman in the picture are decently dressed and hold the same status.

References
Adams, M., & Raisborough, J. (2008). What can sociology say about FairTrade? Class, reflexivity, and ethical consumption. Sociology, 42(6), 1165-1182.
Berger, J. (2008). Ways of seeing (Vol. 474). London: Penguin. (p. 45)
Cavusoglu, L., & Dakhli, M. (2016). The Impact of Ethical Concerns on Fashion Consumerism: A Review. Markets, Globalization & Development Review, 1(2). Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1019&context=mgdr
O'Brien, S. & Szeman, I. (2014). Popular Culture: A User's Guide (3rd ed.) Toronto: Nelson Education. (pages 100-202)