Pop Culture Romance Blog

Usernames: “Molly”, “Sushi Warrior”, “Ace55kg”, “B-Bloggin”, and “Bakerella”

Jennifer Roth

Wome 2113

November 15^th, 2011

Pop Culture: Romance in Food and/or Restaurant Advertisement

     Food and restaurant advertising have a tendency to incorporate male/female relationships into their advertising as to keep ideals of romance in mind.  The advertisements use women’s sexuality, which attracts the male gaze in turn putting women “in their place.”  Most of the advertisements perpetuate women as being the “nurturer” and the men being the “receiver,” while at the same time sexually objectifying women in order to sell their product.   Through our groups analysis of these advertisements, it was determined that many of the ads were geared to capture the attention of the male gaze and promote their product to men, and not so much to women. Through our groups analysis of these advertisements, it was determined that many of the ads were geared to capture the attention of the male gaze and promote their product to men, and not so much to women. 

     The ideas that are embedded in our culture today regarding romance started long ago. This Pepsi ad seems innocent when it is first viewed but with further analysis the constant theme of girls steals boy plays into view. Hollows states, “First, romance is treated as a monolithic and unchanging ideology” (Hollows, 73). Despite the fact that there are many ways and ideas of romance, society still treats romance as one unchanged socially constructed ideology. In this ad the romantic tropes that are played out are boy meets girl but girl with Pepsi catches boys eye. Yet, the girl with the Pepsi is serving the man and trying to win him over. This puts women in a passive role as the man is choosing his prize and women just stand (or in this case dance) and hope for the best.

      The commercial perpetuates a stereotypical family: mother, father and child, the commercial reinforces the stereotypical romantic roles. Mother makes dinner, serves it to husband, it shows her place is in the kitchen and her job is catering to the men in her life. The company uses romance as a selling technique by showing the man is happy with his wife’s cooking skills (and choice of cheese) and so he starts speaking to her romantically and kissing her hand. At the beginning of the commercial the wife is acting ‘normal’ and as soon as her husband starts paying romantic attention to her, she becomes very shy, bashful and submissive. After being put in her place in the relationship (nurturer, caregiver) she is put in her place romantically; showing her submissiveness. Hollows states, “First, love becomes a woman’s vocation, diverting her energies from other pursuits. Second, a woman’s sense of identity and self-esteem depends on a man’s valuation of her as worthy of being loved. Third, romantic love makes women economically dependent on men….”(Hollows, 73). This tells us that like the woman in the advertisement, women need to stay in their place (home and kitchen) please their men (cook, clean and sexual satisfaction) and look good doing it in order to keep their men happy to keep a stable relationship, security and maintain self-worth and esteem.

     We chose this commercial to demonstrate the power struggles within romance settings with a particular analysis at how it ‘keeps women in their place’ in regards to age and race. It has been discussed time and time again the realities surrounding women being hindered by struggles of attempting to persevere through these romance relationship binaries and ideals that have been embedded in us. Cultural depictions like such do not just happen, they are strategic and they are powerful. The power comes within the producer attempting to blindside the audience with underlying social rules and regulations. This is usually demonstrated using an older age group however, for this particular visual portrayal it uses young, easily impressionable, vulnerable children. Hit the target hard at a young enough age so these gendered romance binaries are instilled because any chance of question, or more importantly resistance is unacceptable and socially ridiculed. Aloo Tikki is an East Indian food and some of the actors chosen are of this cultural descent which suggests also that these reoccurring romance standards and morals are not just Western understandings and views but are shared across cultural and religious rifts. Hollows’ writes about women’s obsession with romance literature and describes and links this to some form of an addiction (Hollows, 70). However, I would object that it is not an addictive nature we hold but is something learned and continuously practiced. Proof of this comes from commercials like the Aloo Tikki one, using young, vulnerable minds as their subjects. Hollows also mentioned that these are “claims which are commonly made about women generally” (Hollows, 71), and basically disregards men completely. 

     The idea of romance and sexuality is extremely evident in all advertising in today’s society.  Food and Restaurant advertisements are a critical response to typical gender norms and romantic ideals of our time.  This form of advertising is very common because society has adapted to these ideals, although these advertisements are exaggerated, they are embedded in cultural norms.   Food and Restaurant advertisements have a way of letting women know what is expected of them from society, and they also give men a false perception of how women should act.  These advertisements sexualize women and assimilate into the idea that in order to gain acceptance from the male view they must adhere to certain societal values.  Hallows stated, “In the dialectic of sex, Firestone claims romantic love is pathological she argued: it is love corrupted by the unequal relationship between the sexes and is used to reproduce patriarchy” (Hallows, 73), the combination of these ideals leaves a romantic power imbalance that leaves men more empowered than women.

Works Cited
“Aloo Tikki Nanak Foods”.  www.youtube.com.  May 4 2011.  Nov 15 2011.

Hollows, Joanne. Feminism, femininity and popular culture. Machester: Manchester University.
     Press, 2000. Print

“Kraft 4 Cheese Italiano”.  www.youtube.com.  June 30 2011.  Nov 15 2011.

“Retromercial: Pepsi (1965)” www.youtube.com. 1965. Sat 5 Nov. 2011