G.I. Joe is a toy company that builds figurines dealing with military and war time soldiers. While advertising their toys, G. I. Joe has a specific way that they like to get their point across and make kids want to buy the action figures. The top of the advertisement states, “G. I. Joe Is Looking for a Few Good Men.” There are multiple details to notice just in the heading. First, the font of the words are bold and block text. This gives off a bold and brave feel that the reader can immediately pick up. This makes the reader feel like what G. I. Joe is trying to say is mighty important and cannot be taken lightly. Another important part of the heading is the use of the word “Men.” G. I. Joe is showing that they only need men. Therefore, woman are consequently out of the picture and in other words, pointless. There is no need for woman to play with the G. I. Joe action figures since only men are needed. This is completely stereotypical in saying that only boys can play with these toys. A girl could have just as easily enjoyed playing with these war figurines as boys do.
Another example of the use of masculinity in this G. I. Joe advertisement is how they portray G. I. Joe himself as an image. In the advertisement, you can see G. I. Joe pointing his finger in authority. Overall, his aggressive look makes it very rough and rigid. This is shown in multiple parts of the advertisement, not just the appearance of G. I. Joe. This, however, is the main attraction to this advertisement and it easily gets the point across that G. I. Joe is trying to make about men and how they think they are conceived. Small details throughout his entire body language proves this point. To start, his back hand is clinched in a tight ball in a way that looks ready to fight. His teeth are tightly clinched like he is in a fit rage. His eyes tell a story for themselves as if he has been through more wars and seen more stuff than anyone can comprehend. Connected to G. I. Joe’s torso harness is a military issued combat knife and an explosive grenade. This shows that G. I. Joe is ready for close-quarter combat if need be at any moment.
This is all showing a great deal of violence and aggressive behavior. With that being said, the kids that are reading this are taking in all these details are reenacting them in their own lives. Kids are seeing the violence of war as cool and want to be a part of it. In consequence, the little boys will begin to nag their parents for the G. I. Joe figurines so they can begin their own mental world of violence and war.
This advertisement also shows what is considered to be the “perfect man” in the way that G.I. Joe looks and is built. For generations, society has set standards for what the perfect man should appear as their eyes. Think about it: you are walking down the street and notice the perfect man. What does he look like? I am sure that G. I. Joe fits that model man to a perfect T. In this advertisement, G. I. Joe is built in a masculine way that not only signifies a born and bred killer on the battlefield, but also a man that could catch the eyes of most of women around the world. He has a body that is chiseled and shredded to perfection. It is very clear to the kids looking at this advertisement just how defined he is since it is easy to see every single muscle possible under his tight government issued sweater.
Along with the perfectly sculpted body, the sheer size of G. I. Joe is quite impressive. This does not look like a man who does not know where the local weight room is on base. His biceps and triceps look like G. I. Joe could curl a lot of weight that is unbearable to the regular population. His trapezius looks like he has carried water buckets around all day while his shoulders look like he could military press a car off of himself in any severe incident. G. I. Joe has a chest that makes even his military harness tight on his body. This makes the kids looking at this advertisement want to be the strong tough man that G. I. Joe is projected as.
Many people over look small features such as eye and hair color, but in this advertisement, G. I. Joe had to fit all the criteria to being a perfect man. Along with the sculpted body of a Greek God, G. I. Joe has blonde hair and blue eyes which is considered to be some of the most beautiful eyes and hair. People have forever looked at blonde hair and blue eyes to be one of the greatest combinations in guys and that is exactly why G. I. Joe must have these exquisite features. The eyes are deep as if he has seen so many dark events happen in his major battles fought in. G. I. Joe’s hair is also clean cut and very short. This takes away all forms of feminism once the hair is short because woman usually are considered to have long hair while men have shorter hair.
Following the amazing hair and eyes of G. I. Joe, he also has a jawline and chin that every woman wants in a man. A strong jawline has always been a sign of a tough and masculine man. This also makes G. I. Joe look better and more attractive for the ladies’ eyes. Also, his jawline is clean shaven, projecting that he is well kept in the hygiene department. In the military, a soldier is not normally able to grow facial hair which is why G. I. Joe must stay clean shaven even while out in the bush. To kids, this shows just how great G. I. Joe is as a soldier and makes them want to join forces against the evil Cobra Task Force.
In the background of the advertisement it looks as to be a darkened sky. This could show two different things. One, a stormy night that only men should be out in or two, smoke for the latest battle that lies behind him. Either one signifies extreme male promotion. With battlefields in complete darkened skies, this means that the battle itself must have been chaotic and filled with death of soldiers due to the violence that erupted so suddenly. This advertisement makes the image of a battle being for only men and not anything a woman should even be near. This once again gives the kids looking at this advertisement the belief and desire to be that macho man that G. I. Joe is being.
In conclusion, this G. I. Joe advertisement has multiple ways of promoting masculinity. Throughout this entire advertisement, we notice how men are looked at by other people in a society and exactly how society views the perfect man. In this paper, you learned that G. I Joe calling on men only, the appearance of G. I. Joe himself, the violent behavior projected in G. I. Joe’s attitude and demeanor, and the surroundings behind G. I. Joe all play a role in the explanation of why this advertisement is promoting masculinity.
Another example of the use of masculinity in this G. I. Joe advertisement is how they portray G. I. Joe himself as an image. In the advertisement, you can see G. I. Joe pointing his finger in authority. Overall, his aggressive look makes it very rough and rigid. This is shown in multiple parts of the advertisement, not just the appearance of G. I. Joe. This, however, is the main attraction to this advertisement and it easily gets the point across that G. I. Joe is trying to make about men and how they think they are conceived. Small details throughout his entire body language proves this point. To start, his back hand is clinched in a tight ball in a way that looks ready to fight. His teeth are tightly clinched like he is in a fit rage. His eyes tell a story for themselves as if he has been through more wars and seen more stuff than anyone can comprehend. Connected to G. I. Joe’s torso harness is a military issued combat knife and an explosive grenade. This shows that G. I. Joe is ready for close-quarter combat if need be at any moment.
This is all showing a great deal of violence and aggressive behavior. With that being said, the kids that are reading this are taking in all these details are reenacting them in their own lives. Kids are seeing the violence of war as cool and want to be a part of it. In consequence, the little boys will begin to nag their parents for the G. I. Joe figurines so they can begin their own mental world of violence and war.
This advertisement also shows what is considered to be the “perfect man” in the way that G.I. Joe looks and is built. For generations, society has set standards for what the perfect man should appear as their eyes. Think about it: you are walking down the street and notice the perfect man. What does he look like? I am sure that G. I. Joe fits that model man to a perfect T. In this advertisement, G. I. Joe is built in a masculine way that not only signifies a born and bred killer on the battlefield, but also a man that could catch the eyes of most of women around the world. He has a body that is chiseled and shredded to perfection. It is very clear to the kids looking at this advertisement just how defined he is since it is easy to see every single muscle possible under his tight government issued sweater.
Along with the perfectly sculpted body, the sheer size of G. I. Joe is quite impressive. This does not look like a man who does not know where the local weight room is on base. His biceps and triceps look like G. I. Joe could curl a lot of weight that is unbearable to the regular population. His trapezius looks like he has carried water buckets around all day while his shoulders look like he could military press a car off of himself in any severe incident. G. I. Joe has a chest that makes even his military harness tight on his body. This makes the kids looking at this advertisement want to be the strong tough man that G. I. Joe is projected as.
Many people over look small features such as eye and hair color, but in this advertisement, G. I. Joe had to fit all the criteria to being a perfect man. Along with the sculpted body of a Greek God, G. I. Joe has blonde hair and blue eyes which is considered to be some of the most beautiful eyes and hair. People have forever looked at blonde hair and blue eyes to be one of the greatest combinations in guys and that is exactly why G. I. Joe must have these exquisite features. The eyes are deep as if he has seen so many dark events happen in his major battles fought in. G. I. Joe’s hair is also clean cut and very short. This takes away all forms of feminism once the hair is short because woman usually are considered to have long hair while men have shorter hair.
Following the amazing hair and eyes of G. I. Joe, he also has a jawline and chin that every woman wants in a man. A strong jawline has always been a sign of a tough and masculine man. This also makes G. I. Joe look better and more attractive for the ladies’ eyes. Also, his jawline is clean shaven, projecting that he is well kept in the hygiene department. In the military, a soldier is not normally able to grow facial hair which is why G. I. Joe must stay clean shaven even while out in the bush. To kids, this shows just how great G. I. Joe is as a soldier and makes them want to join forces against the evil Cobra Task Force.
In the background of the advertisement it looks as to be a darkened sky. This could show two different things. One, a stormy night that only men should be out in or two, smoke for the latest battle that lies behind him. Either one signifies extreme male promotion. With battlefields in complete darkened skies, this means that the battle itself must have been chaotic and filled with death of soldiers due to the violence that erupted so suddenly. This advertisement makes the image of a battle being for only men and not anything a woman should even be near. This once again gives the kids looking at this advertisement the belief and desire to be that macho man that G. I. Joe is being.
In conclusion, this G. I. Joe advertisement has multiple ways of promoting masculinity. Throughout this entire advertisement, we notice how men are looked at by other people in a society and exactly how society views the perfect man. In this paper, you learned that G. I Joe calling on men only, the appearance of G. I. Joe himself, the violent behavior projected in G. I. Joe’s attitude and demeanor, and the surroundings behind G. I. Joe all play a role in the explanation of why this advertisement is promoting masculinity.