Advertisements and Culture Reflection 

Olay emerged an ad that focused on selling a stereotypical fancy lifestyle as they portray a close up image of a beautiful woman with words such as 'mother', 'wife', 'shoe aficionado' that were situated right next to her glowing and joyous face expression.  This induces emphasis on how Olay impacted her life and lifestyle. Yet this ad, although efficacious, manages to characterize the stereotypes seen in our present society. It devalues women's ambitions and associates women with mothers and wives as the ad implies yet does not suggest that they could have bigger roles than just that and actually have a contribution to society. Due to the strong gesture of stereotype, I as well as my group thought this ad was from a longer time period where such stereotype was expected and a woman would be known for her housewife contribution and care for the house and no play a major role in anything else which is not at all surprising but what was surprising was how recent this ad was, being published only in 2002 which clearly shows that stereotyping but not be as seemingly obvious nowadays doesn't mean that it has disappeared but yet still roams around and used to persuade women.
This ad sets a powerful feminine vibe yet when clearly analysed, it can be seen that it only targets and aims to empower certain women, women who have those roles such as wife and mothers to encourage them that Olay will succeed in supporting them to have a fancy and healthy lifestyle. The theme it focuses on is also self care and healthcare which shows that a woman should take care of herself as a mother and wife yet simultaneously the ad dis-empowers and ignores women who have other more important roles to society and focus on their careers for instance.
In the ad, the woman is wearing a wedding ring, which again focuses on her priorities of a being a wife and mother encouraging women like her to purchase the lifestyle Olay has to offer to lead them to a more open and happier life.