Then, using your template for "joining the conversation" (that latest green cheat sheet), use the details from the ad to respond to any of the arguments or analysis (in favor or against) made about that ad.
Your response should include:
1. at least one phrase from your template
2. and at least one detail from the ad, along with your analysis of that detail.
3. Your analysis of that detail should help support your argument about the ad.
Dolce and Gabbana Ad Pulled from Spain
Domenico Dolce y Stefano Gabbana (Dolce & Gabbana) say they don’t understand accusations from Spain that their latest advertising campaign is sexist and encourages violence against women.
According to several Spanish organisations, including a department of the Spanish Women's Institute (Observatorio de la Imagen del Instituto español de la Mujer) the advert encourages violence against women. Because of the controversy the advert has created here and the protest that has been registered in different areas of Spanish politics and society, the designers have decided to withdraw the advert, but only from Spain.On announcing their decision, the designers Dolce and Gabbana accused Spain of being "in the dark ages". They defended the advert by saying that the artistic photo was a piece of art, not an instruction manual for real life. The advertisement in question shows a woman being held down by her wrists by a man with 4 other men watching. Various other Spanish organisations have complained about the advert and requested its withdrawal. Spain has one of the most worrying records of domestic violence in Europe, and despite the attempts of this government and previous PP governments to stem the growing tide of domestic abuse, the number of crimes committed by men against women continues to rise.
Dolce and Gabbana released a statement saying that "We will withdraw that photo from the Spanish market alone, since they are behind the times. What does an artistic photo have to do with the real world?" If Spanish views held sway, they said, "you'd have to burn museums like the Louvre and all the paintings of Caravaggio."
But Spanish women objected not to the supposed sensuality or eroticism but the image's glorification of sexual violence. "The advert suggests it is acceptable to use force as a way of imposing oneself on a woman, reinforced by the passive complicity of the men looking on," the Labour Ministry said.
At present, the advert is on display in an exhibition which opened yesterday in Milan showing other photos from their new advertising campaign. The exhibition is called Secret Ceremony and shows photos of nude bodies and erotic scenes taken by the photographer Steven Klein. According to the designers, the images explore the thin line between morality and immorality. The question remains whether or not the advert withdrawn by the designers today has crossed that line.
25 comments:
Spanish organizations have suggested that the Dolce and Gabbana ad is removed from display. Although I agree with the designers on not intending to promote domestic violence, I still insist that this portrays violence against women. The imagery of this ad highlights a sense of violence. The woman is being pinned down by a man, while raising her hips. Having her hips raised portrays a sense of resistance.
I'll have to disagree with the Spanish organizations. The imagery of the Dolce & Gabbana ad strikes us with a sense of desire, not a portrayal of violence against women. Although the man has his hands on the woman's wrists, the woman isn't showing any signs of trying to "free" herself from him. Instead, the woman's facial and body reaction portrays a sense of yearning for the man to come closer to her. Also, the woman is dressed up in leather clothing, suggesting sensuality and sexiness. I believe the true purpose of this ad was to portray the Dolce and Gabbana's collection as "sexy" and very appealing.
Justyna Ciezobka
Others may disagree, but I agree with what munkey_lover09 said. This ad does seem to show a desire for women because of how this is shown in the ad. Like it is mentioned in the text below the ad: "The advertisement in question shows a woman being held down by her wrists by a man with 4 other men watching." But this can be explained in one of two ways. The ad can be seen as an act of violence against women with one woman against four men shown in the ad. It also mentions that Spain has the most problems with violence. One women also says that: "The advert suggests it is acceptable to use force as a way of imposing oneself on a woman, reinforced by the passive complicity of the men looking on". Both these ideas can be true only based on what the person thinks.
I disagree with the Spanish government taking down the Dolce and Gabanna ad. The setting of the Dolce and Gabanna ad portrays an atmosphere of sexiness, fierceness and desire of the girl. The image of the guy graving the girl creates the sense of playing hard to get, thirsty to have her and just teasing him. In the same effect, the guy is only graving her by one hand, so if it really did promote violence why only grave her by one hand? Are you going to let her go? The text serve the same function in when "Spain has one of the most worrying records of domestic violence in Europe" reveals to us that they are trying to pin down there issues, not literally, but including the ad in it.
I believe expression of any kind is free when dealing with art; and in this case Dolce and Gabbana were free to express men capturing a woman to show a stylish image. It's stylish in how obviously the men are models and are in a stylish pose focusing on the woman, whose pose also displays a sexy character and in no way shows danger or fear. Instead strength and impossibility to get a hold of are portrayed. I believe the message of the ad has been shifted absurdly by the Spanish organizations because of illogical relations to the violence rate. The message is to attract girls into their fashion by saying they will be seductive, attractive, and have men insanely chasing after them like animals. By focusing on the likeliness of negative messages send by the ad, they forget the ad is all about fashion. I agree with Dolce & Gabbana when stating " you'd have to burn museums like the Louvre and all the paintings of Caravaggio." You can't change the subject of their pieces of art. Violence might be a sensible case in Spain but i insist it has and will not have nothing to do with pieces of art. The photos shouldn't have been removed, but Spanish organizations should at least be thankful they were removed in Spain.
Oh I forgot to say... I'm Desiree!!
Kerri Carnahan - "Hello!"
If you have a passion for fashion and often tend to study the ad campaigns by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, a well-famed brilliant fashion design team, you would know that the Dolce&Gabbana designer house's campaigns often leads the consumer to feel a heightened sense of sexual awareness and desire. However much I disagree with the prude "feminists" of the Spanish Women's Institute (Observatorio de la Imagen del Instituto español de la Mujer) that this "advert encourages violence against women", it is completely undisputed that the colors our idea of powerful sexual desire and non-meaningful lust.
I absolutely disagree that the ad promotes sexual violence towards women. If the "ladylike" members of the Spanish Women's Institute weren't still walking around town with their proper dresses chafing their ankles and sweeping the red brick road while ridiculing Sister Mary for finally combing her devilishly exposed hair, they would come to realize that fashion is a very large industry and needs to sell. Sex sells.
The ad simply reflects Domenico and Stefano's personal style and likings. They obviously like the D&G woman to feel dominant in her clothing, but they also want her to feel sexy. Not every woman wears her great grandmother's Sunday best 24/7.
Spain has suggested that an advertising campaign from Dolce and Gabbana encourages sexual violence. I think Spain is mistaken because they overlook the details of the ad. The woman is raising her hips. Her hips work to create the feeling that the woman actually wants the man, not that she is resisting. If the ad wanted to encourage violence against women then they would have had all of the men help restrain her.
I simply must cite Kerri at this moment, "Sex sells."
I agree with her completely on this point. Though I concede that the Dolce and Gabbana ad COULD SUGGEST encouragement of violence against woman, I still insist that the viewers have to bring their attention the the body language of the woman. Her hips are raised ever so slightly as if to meet the guy's pelvis. Her turned away face isn't one of agony or distress, it's a display of lust. She shows no sign of struggle or yearn to be free. Almost as if she knows they want her and she is going to use her whims to get them. Sure there are three other guys standing by watching but they aren't there to see a woman be abused they're there because they're thinking with something other then their brains.
Spanish Organiztions have suggested that Dolce and Gabbana is removed from display because of the negativity displayed in the ad about women. I agree with the Spanish Organization, the ad does encourage violence towards women. Having several men standing over one defenseless woman provokes a sense of fear and danger.This ad is negative based and encourages abuse.
Spanish organizations, along with a department of the Spanish Women’s Institute have suggested that the latest advertising campaign for Dolce & Gabbana is sexist, and that it promotes violence towards women. I disagree with the Spanish organizations’ view that the D&G ad is sexists and promoted violence towards women. I think this ad creates a sense of sexiness and desire. If this ad were promoting violence towards women, the woman in the ad would be showing more of a struggle to be released from the clench of the man. Instead she is just laying there as if she wants the man to come closer to her. If you look closely, the women looks as if she is posing. Her hips are elevated, and she is wearing a tight black dress with high heels. This ad doesn’t promote violence towards women. It shows women who look at this ad that if they wear this brand of clothes, they will be sexy, and more desirable towards men.
I believe that the several organizations accusing Dolce & Gabbana of encouraging violence against women are viewing the ad way out of its context. The Spanish Women's Institute has suggested that the advert portrays domestic violence when in reality, it portrays sexuality and desire. I strongly agree with Kerri when she says that "sex sells." Dolce & Gabbana intended for this ad to be controversial. They knew that where ever this ad was to be displayed, it would catch anyone's and everyone's attention. Spain simply viewed the ad's meaning as negative because of the domestic violence rate rising with in their country. Obviously there are no signs of abuse such as bruises on the model. On the contrary the way her body is positioned creates a sense of seduction and urge. Concluding that there is no hidden meaning behind this ad linked to the encouragement of violence against women.
The Spanish organizations that are disagreeing with the Dolce & Gabbana ad, are concluding numerous unexisting sub messages from the ad. I agree with all those who have written before me saying that there is no promotion of domestic violence. The female model's facial descriptions are nothing close to fear or even uncomfortably. Instead it is of desire, wanting, and control. She knows she has all these men wrapped around her finger. Her hips are also thrust upwards which tells anyone who looks at the ad the fact that she does want the man that is holding down her HAND. How could this promote violence when the women isn't exactly defenseless, she still has one hand free and those shoes look like they could do some real damage.
Although I agree with some of my peers that Dolce and Gabbana are using sex to sell their product, I concede that the ad makes us question what exactly it is trying to say with the female model’s pose. I can see how D&G have attempted to portray a risqué sense of lust and sex appeal, as so many of their other ads do, but this ad has missed the mark. Yes the shirtless guys and girl in a swimsuit and heels can make us think ‘with something other than our brains’ however, most of the models seemed outright bored. Including the girl whose attempt at appearing seductive has dulled the overall lust factor of the ad. By not reaching the usual risqué mark of D&G ads in a sexual manner, it can lead some to see it in a more violent way to be able to reach that risqué mark that we’re so used to getting from D&G.
The Dolce and Gabanna has suggested sexiness and only that. There is no proof of violence against women. So I do disagree with Spanish Women's Institute (Observatorio de la Imagen del Instituto español de la Mujer) I agree with Jorge about the ad and how it portrays the desire of the girl. I do not see any sexual violence to the girl. The imagery of the guys without shirts and the girl showing her legs show only sexiness and the need to look "hot" for the opposite sex. Also, in this ad it shows desire towards the women. In just the same way, the ad reveals the need for women all over the world. This ad leads the audience to think if you wear Dolce and Gabanna you to will be hot and sexy like the people in this ad. The women in this ad her faces is not terrifying its more clam if there was say kind of violence going on she would be scared and not clam. This ad is just going to show how sex sells. D & G is in this for the money, think about it will a guy and a girl wearing there Sunday clothes sell and make money.
This is Julie.
Although I don't agree with Spain that this ad promotes violence, but I'll have to say it does portray women at a certain angle. I strongly agree with Cesar on his view about art. I really liked the way he used freedom to describe the designer's creativity, but even though we have freedom to express art, it does have a line that you cannot cross. Designers have to know who they're selling their ad to in order for them to make money.
Spain said, "The advertisement in question shows a woman being held down by her wrists by a man with 4 other men watching." It is understandable the situation Spain's in, but it is more towards sexuality than violence. Dolce & Gabbanna is trying to make their products and designs more mature and sexual instead of violence and sexist against women.
& ha-ha, I like Kerri's comment; especially the last sentence. & I'll have to agree, sex does sell.
Egder Dominguez
Although this Dolce and Gabbana ad may seem small, it is in fact crucial in today’s concern over domestic violence in Spain. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana should have been more apologetic towards the Spanish public for not fully explaining the ad rather than just stating their intentions with the ad. The well-thought accusations from the Spanish organizations are clearly valid. First of all, I would have to disagree with various claims made by several of my peers. The woman does not have a hand free as she is held down by both of her wrists. The pose is also not that sexual since his grip seems firm on her wrists. Her having her hips raised can be argued to be because that part of her body is not being held down. It would have been relatively more sexual if he was on top of her rather than beside her. Although I am sure it was not the company’s intentions, the ad is sexist and can easily be argued that the ad creates the sense of a confrontation.
Hi, this is Yesica Prado. ^-^
Although I agree with the Observatorio de la imagen del Instituto español de la Mujer up to a point, I cannot accept their overall conclusions that the ad encourages violence against women. The imagery of the Donce & Gabban ad enhances the sense of sexual appeal. For example, the designers’ choice to display the young female model in a tight leather dress prompts the audience to feel sexually arouse. You can see the same effect in the use of emitting extra light on the model's best features, which are the woman's legs and the men's muscles. Also, her facial expression does not portray a woman being abused, but rather emphasizes the sense of satisfaction.
I disagree with the Spainsh Organizations view that Dolce and Gabbana's latest advertising campaign is sexiest and encourages violence against women. The setting of the Dolce and Gabbana ad works to create an intense feeling of sexual desire. The way the women has her hips raised towards the man enhances the feeling that she wants to be CLOSER to him and FEEL more. Also, the "awed" expression she has on her face reveals she is pleased with his performance thus far. There is no way she is resisting with the pleasured look she has on her face.
This is off the subject a little but did they ever think that she wants him!!!! Lets be real, women love sex just as men do, real talk!!!!
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