Language
1) Write a summary of our annotations on the media language choices on the cover of Men's Health - e.g. colour scheme, typography, language, photographic codes etc.
The title of publication is in Serif in order to bring forward the idea that Men's Health is a long standing brand as a reputable magazine. The cover lines on the magazine are Sans Serif which connotes a modern and informal attitude that suggests that Men's Health magazine is adapting to fit with modern society- the boldness of this font reinforces the aggressive hypermasculine stereotype that is emphasised throughout this whole magazine. The colour scheme on this cover is the emphasised use of clean colours such as light blue, dark blue, white and black instead of vibrant colours in order to represent a hegemonic masculine representation. The central image uses Vin Diesel as a model and he has been put in a position where his triceps are on display in order to reinforce a hypermasculine stereotype of strength. This is also an example of star power because the use of a celebrity that is associated with action and adventure would appeal to an audience that would read Men's Health so an element of relatability is provided due to personal identity (Blumler and Katz uses and gratifications theory). The model also has a menacing and fierce facial expression to reinforce hypermasculine aggression
2) Identify three specific aspects/conventions/important points (e.g. cover lines, colour scheme, use of text, image etc.) from each page of the CSP that you could refer to in a future exam. Explain why that particular aspect of the CSP is important - think about connotations, representations, audience pleasures, reception theory etc.
-The central image uses Vin Diesel as a model and he has been put in a position where his triceps are on display in order to reinforce a hypermasculine stereotype of strength. This is also an example of star power because the use of a celebrity that is associated with action and adventure would appeal to an audience that would read Men's Health so an element of relatability is provided due to personal identity (Blumler and Katz uses and gratifications theory). The model also has a menacing and fierce facial expression to reinforce hypermasculine aggression
-The main coverline is written with black Sans Serif typography in order to connote aggression and aspiration to be healthy and body-conscious because it has been used with the violent verb "blast" that implies further hypermasculinity as is emphasised by the exclamation mark. This also presents a moment of disequilibrium (Todorov) and the narrative suggests that the article provides a new equilibrium
-Alliteration of "wage war" reinforces toxic masculine tropes of war and fighting that suggests that flab is the antagonist and Vin Diesel is the hero or the dispatcher (by providing info to the recipient for the quest) by applying Propp's character theory- this may also link to bell hooks' idea of normalised traumatisation
- Editor's Letter and contents page:
-The colour scheme is a neutral beige colour which presents a "washed out" look that contrasts the other colours on the page. This neutral colour also provides authenticity due to the natural and unedited aesthetic that still feels rather traditional. There are also elements of modernity here because it seems to subvert the typical masculine colour schemes
-The editor's letter contains diversity of content because it provides acknowledgement for men who are focusing on their mental health and not just physical health- this presents a changing landscape of masculinity that Gauntlett suggested (masculinity is not in crisis)
-Pink and yellow pages have been featured on this page and perhaps this is because this colour scheme is attempting to recognise alternative colours that could be associated with masculinity in order to subvert hypermasculinity- these colours could be referencing the LGBTQ+ community because it may reinforce effeminate colour schemes
- Feature - True Grit - 'The Marathon Man':
-The image used is important because the model is in a running pose with a confident and content facial expression on his face- this places less focus on body image and clothing but more on his facial expression
-The interviewer/interviewee layout of a Q&A reflects a more close-up and personal perspective in order to promote awareness, confidence and speaking out culture
-The interview builds up a profile of alternate athletes that contrasts Vin Diesel who is a stereotypical masculine celebrity. There is an alternative representation of a "fit pensioner" to diversify and widen the target audience in order to motivate older generations
3) Apply narrative theories to Men's Health - Todorov's equilibrium, Propp's character types, Barthes' action or enigma codes, Levi-Strauss's binary opposition. How can we use narrative to understand the way the cover has been constructed?
- Vin Diesel's flexed and exposed muscles as well as the violent verbs could suggest an action code if we apply Barthes' action codes because it suggests that he is ready to fight which reinforces hypermasculine ideas
- The colour scheme is black, blue and grey which represents a hegemonic masculinity which links to Neale's theory of repetition and difference because the stereotypes of men are repeated
Alliteration of "wage war" reinforces toxic masculine tropes of war and fighting that suggests that flab is the antagonist and Vin Diesel is the hero or the dispatcher (by providing info to the recipient for the quest) by applying Propp's character theory- this may also link to bell hooks' idea of normalised traumatisation
The use of Vin Diesel as a model makes use of star power because the use of a celebrity that is associated with action and adventure would appeal to an audience that would read Men's Health so an element of relatability is provided due to personal identity- which applies Blumler and Katz's uses and gratifications theory
4) Read the cover lines and the Editor's Letter. Does Men's Health offer a cure for male insecurities or does it create male insecurity?
The magazine cover lines create male insecurity because there is an emphasised pressure that has been put on men to look a certain way (implied that the ideal body type is Vin Diesel) and this can lead men to think that their appearance is not ideal and not good enough compared to the body ideal that has been presented to them. However, the Editor's letter does attempt to offer a cure for male insecurities by asking the readers 'what was wrong with the old you?' in response to the 'new year, new you' bandwagon. This alternative approach encourages readers to truly accept themselves as they are and they don't need to look a certain way in order to be seen as desirable
5) How does the 'Marathon Man' feature page offer an example of Steve Neale's genre theory concerning 'repetition and difference'?
The 'Marathon Man' feature page offers an example of Steve Neale's genre theory concerning 'repetition and difference' because running marathons is a repeated occurrence in Men's Health but the fact that a 69-year-old is doing the marathon presents a different outlook to the common marathon occurrence
Representations
We have already covered many relevant theories in our work on Advertising and Marketing (for example, David Gauntlett's writing on Media, Gender and Identity). We now need to apply these theories and ideas to Men's Health and specifically the three pages from the Jan/Feb 2017 issue identified as our Close-Study Product.
Representations: applying theory
1) How can Gauntlett's ideas on masculinity, gender and identity be applied to the Men's Health CSP we have analysed?
The feature on Mental Health mentioned on the cover indicates the evolution in masculinity and reinforces how gender has become the focus of change linking to Gauntlett's idea that things change over time- this is because mental health in men was not recognised and acknowledged when the older generations were still growing up so there is a clear difference in generations (which was another one of Gauntlett's ideas)
2) How could van Zoonen's work on feminist and gender theory be applied to Men's Health?
van Zoonen's "sex roles stereotypes" suggests that the media reinforces sex role stereotypes and helps to construct gender roles- representation of women's sexuality is generally submissive and disempowering whereas representation of men's sexuality is based off strength and power. Men's Health reinforces the representation of men as strong and powerful by using a muscular man on the front cover of the magazine and this suggests that strength is a key element to masculinity
3) How could bell hooks's work on 'corrosive masculinity' apply to Men's Health?
bell hooks highlighted the corrosive and damaging effect of toxic masculinity on both men and women and how normalised traumatisation is damage caused by the representations that are simply accepted as a part of society. Alliteration in "wage war" from one of the cover lines reinforces toxic masculine tropes of war and fighting which is a contribution to normalised traumatisation and corrosive masculinity
Representations: academic analysis
Finally, read these extracts from the journal article exploring the representation of masculinity in Men's Health magazine and answer the following questions:
1) Why is Men's Health defined as a 'lifestyle magazine'?
Men's Health is defined as a 'lifestyle magazine' because in every issue, they make sure to show their readers from the first pages that the publication is not just limited to healthy questions, but it includes more topics concerning men. The ‘lifestyle’ notion refers to the magazines which can be included under the ‘general interest-magazines-for-men’ label
2) Why is advertising significant in helping to shape masculine identity?
Advertising is significant in helping to shape masculine identity because the wide catalogue of goods presented in the magazine can be understood as a way in which the reader is provided with a variety of goods that help him to perform effectively in society by expressing his identity in physical terms. Thus, in this context, men are understood as consumers whose maleness can be emphasized by the purchase of certain products
3) The article suggests that the representation of masculinity in Men's Health is not fixed or natural and is subject to constant change. What media theorists that we have studied previously can be linked to these ideas?
The article suggests that the representation of masculinity in Men's Health is not fixed or natural and is subject to constant change. This uses the application of David Gauntlett's key ideas that identity is becoming more fluid, things change over time and there are generational differences in identity
4) What does the article suggest Men's Health encourages its readers to be? What examples and statistics are provided to develop the idea of men as consumers?
The article suggests that Men's Health encourages its readers to be active consumers. An illustrative example of this is men’s increasing interest in fashion and personal products, as proved in a research conducted by Euromonitor International which shows that “the global market for male grooming products grew by an impressive average annual rate of 5.7% between 1997-2005”
5) What representations of the male body can be found in Men's Health?
The representations of the male body that can be found in Men's Health are that of external beauty by using models who are 'fit' we are immersed in a narcissistic culture that, in Belén López’s words, “connects with a compulsive need for beauty which is linked to power and success”. Men's Health contributes to creating anxieties about their bodies in terms of age, strength, sexual performance and weight maintenance. In this sense, MH is another expression of the social fixation on physical appearance, which tries to impose its standards of beauty on the population. The fixation on being fit is because having a fit body supposedly shows the external consequence of self-discipline, effort, and
commitment; in this sense, the magazine urges its readers to “Get this body!” as seen in the
exclamations of most of its covers
6) What does the article suggest regarding the objectification of men?
The article suggests that the male body is objectified and exposed to the reader's gaze. "Men are increasingly and unapologetically objectified, both in terms of erotic spectacle and as targets of advertising for products beyond cars and beer, including many items once thought to be marketed for women alone" (MacKinnon, 2003: 99). “The sexual objectification of men has increased in the media, in terms of film, drama and soap-opera sex appeal"
7) What is 'metrosexuality' and how can it be applied to Men's Health?
Metrosexuality is the most often used when talking about the new depictions within men’s
magazines since it refers to a man who is extremely aware of his physical appearance and is devoted to it by buying cosmetic and fashion products. This can be applied to Men's Health as according to TGI consumer data in 2016, Men's Health readers spend £1.1bn on fashion a year and a combined total of £211m on fragrance and grooming products, the average number of grooming products per Men's Health reader is 11. This indicates a clear awareness and devotion to their physical appearance as Men's Health readers buy quite a few cosmetic and fashion products, therefore, being an example of metrosexuality
8) What representation of men in Men's Health is discussed in the section 'Homogenous bodies'?
The representation of men in Men's Health discussed in the 'Homogenous bodies' section portrays the dominant depictions of maleness in physical terms, linked to power, strength, and youth. The representation of men in the magazine can be analyzed in three different aspects: his physical appearance, his external look (in terms of style), and his lifestyle (values). Concerning his external look, he wears fashionable clothing, presents a modern hairstyle, and carries trendy complements, which make him look elegant and tasteful. Finally, these features are the external expression of a healthy, sporty, and successful lifestyle. In a few words, they are the materialization of the man projected by Men’s Health; a hyperbole of the magazine’s proposal
9) What are the conclusions drawn by the article with regards to the representation of masculinity in Men's Health?
In conclusion, the article draws that the representation of masculinity in Men's Health presents some similarities with other magazines, although it also has some peculiarities which make it unique. It portrays different visions of masculinity (i.e. new man, new lad, metrosexual) but also presents an instrumentalized conception of the body since it’s depicted as a machine that can be improved to perform better, faster and longer. The body, therefore, is a construction oriented to express the discipline and effort –financial effort sometimes– invested on it in public while the physical appearance turns out to be an important feature socially, and it is expressed like this in the rest of the mass media discourses
10) What is your own view of the representation of masculinity in Men's Health? Is it a positive representation that encourages men to the best they can be or is it a hypermasculine, consumer-driven representation designed to undermine men's confidence and objectify their bodies?
I believe that Men's Health still presents the toxic masculinity that society is trying to steer away from- their entire magazine is full of hypermasculine ideas and even when they attempt to be inclusive (an example is the older man who still runs marathons), the idea of hypermasculinity is still presented. In today's society, women are looking to build muscle too and some men are single fathers who have to look after children and have no time to stay fit in the way that Men's Health promotes- this means that the magazine is not inclusive at all and they only focus on middle-aged men and tend to disregard any other audiences. This lack of inclusivity and representation can be very damaging for men because men some people don't feel seen and this can create serious insecurities for them because they feel like they should look like the men in the magazine and they will feel insecure if they don't
