Gender in advertising

Women have definitely been stereotyped and objectified in advertisements. In class we learned that women were first seen as dumb and incompetent. Then they were objectified sexually for cologne and car ads, and then they seem to  be more of the housewife and motherly types. Even today we still see all types of variations when it comes to women in the media, but it is more progressive and leaving these cliched stereotypes behind. 

In class we were shown this Diet Coke ad. Clearly the gender stereotypes have been reversed here. We see the man being "sexually exploited" and the women are the ones ogling at him. (Very exaggerated of course). The class was asked whether this was a negative image of men and if it was harmful to men. Most people agreed it wasn't harmful but they still said it was a negative depiction of men. I agree with the majority. In no way is this ad harmful to men. Men have never been dehumanized like women have in the media and in the real world, therefore there is no way one ad that is obviously suppose to be funny, could ever be harmful to them. It's just how you could never be racist to a white person. Prejudiced? Sure. But never racist because white people have never been institutionally, economically, or socially oppressed like races have been subjugated to. Same as how men never had to face sexism like women deal with everyday. I think its really important to remember that even though society is (in most cases) "progressing" the consequences of sexism and racism in our world and in media/advertisements are still being felt.