To sell a product, it usually involves women of a sex appealing age. In this case this ad by 'Always' uses most likely underage, but socially aware girls and a few men and boys. This right off the bat sets a different feel to the commercial. The girls and men/boys, cut in segments to line up together, walk in one by one. They all range in shape, size, and skin tone. They portrays a sense of innocents and curiosity to the viewers as the set is pretty bland. There is a blank background and bight lights that the children and adults walk into. They stand there and wait for directions from a director behind the lights. The director gives the same set of directions to each of them.The first question is " Show me what it looks like to run like a girl." Each child and adult proceeds to exemplify the stereotype integrated by society fro 100's of years ago. They run 'girly'- dumb, stupid, ditsy, weak. Its not how anyone runs, yet these people do it as such.
The next question is " Throw like a girl" and again they act weak and dumb. They pretend they have never seen a real like female throw a ball or even function for that matter.
The questions go as such and the same actions are repeated until the end when the final question is asked:
"is like a girl a bad thing?"
to which the people stood there and said they did not think it was, but fell back to their action and understood what they were doing undermined women of all ages. They slowly understood that the way people portray women is insulting to them and putting them down.
They were given a chance to do it all over again and this time they acted as themselves regardless of gender.
The ad was not about selling a product to people, but showing why a consumer should buy to a company. The company stands for equality and fairness. Women and men should be treated fairly.
