Even in the first frame at 0.00 it
is blatantly conspicuous this advertisement is going to unleash a vast array of
genderstereotypes on its audience. The first image we see is the Lego Friends
logo. The contrast between the appearances of each word of the girl-targeted
brand epitomizes the genderstereotyping that exists within the products. The
word Lego is represented by its standard logo with red, yellow and black
colors. Friends is written in a script purple, light purple and white font with
a butterfly design integrated, The first thing we see are two girl actresses
making a heart out of one of each of their hands.
The narrator is a woman amongst all
of the glittery chime noises, “Welcome to the beautiful Heart Lake City, I’m
Stephanie,” she says. The next images are more and more of her friends along
the way through the town that simulates the play of all of the characters and
sets available for consumer purchase. However, the activities for the Lego
Friends seem either mundanely errand-like or materialistically setting
unobtainable statuses and body images for role models of young girls- and most
of all, genderstereotypically limiting: going to the café, a party, ‘chill with
the girls’, the vet and the salon. All of the characters’ clothes are decked
out with sparkles, hearts, butterflies and stars.
Pharaoh’s Quest
Lego Pharaoh’s Quest is a Lego
product clearly marketing to a boy demographic. Further, in comparison to the
features and options of the Lego Friends products, Pharaoh’s Quest’s
capabilities make the ones of Lego Friends seem even more offensive. “Evade the
guardians and enter the pyramids,” and “Build your own adventure,” are amongst
some of the phrases boldly articulated by the male narrator of the Lego Pharaoh’s
Quest commercial. However, the commercial feels more like an exciting, dramatic
action film trailer rather than an advertisement for a toy.
Imagine if the gender roles of Lego
Friends were reversed and male friends were going to a party or a cafe and
postulate how that would be viewed by society. I know if I was a child choosing
between these Lego products it would be a no-brainer that I’d rather seek
adventure on ancient landmarks than go to the veterinarian- because that is what
I would rather do in real life. The opinions of a particular female present in
current events are likely to be very similar.
Rachel Giordano
“I know that how I played as a girl
shaped who I am today.” Seattle doctor and co-owner of multiple practices,
Rachel Giordano, modeled for a print Lego advertisement in the 1980’s. The
contrast between that advertisement and the Lego Friends commercial is equally
as alarming as that of the contrast with Pharaoh’s Quest- and Giordano has
noticed. In the 1980’s Lego advertisement, the product was marketed as a
universal building set” with a beautifully inspiring copy compared to the
modern Legos blatantly targeted at either gender exclusively.
The photograph above Giordano is holding a Lego Friends news van product in the 2014 parody of her original photograph. In the commercial for the Lego Friends news van, the female narrator exclaims, “Get Emma ready at the makeup table
so she looks her best for the camera!”
What messages are Lego Friends sending to young girls with their advertisements and are they and the Lego Friends products shaping developments cognitively for them based on genderstereotypes and artificial social constructs which, by logic, would limit their creativity?
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