Introduction
According to the Jungian archetypes, the anima and the animus archetypes come out clearly in the chapter introduction. From the introduction, both the feminine image in a male’s psyche as well as the masculine image in a female’s psyche are presented. The boy is presented as strong while the girl is only resented as pretty.
Archetypes in advertising
In advertising, there are twelve commonly used archetypes. When used in marketing these archetypes are used varyingly in levels ranging from level one to three (Furnham, 2008, p. 13). The levels represent complexity and appeal in an advert. The archetypes include the innocent, they explore, the sage, the outlaw, the hero, the magician, the regular person, the lover, the jester, the caregiver, the creator, and the ruler. In the media nowadays, images of the male archetypes comprise the content of many commercials. In the marketing archetypes listed above, more often than not, the male personality is used to depict it. Any advertisement that needs to portray themes that include exerting control, radicals changing the system, the transformation of the world, use of strength to change the world, and journeying through the world uses the male character. Men are portrayed as being in charge, self-contained and more often than not they are left alone.
Many times the characters of the products that need to be advertised dictate the marketer’s choice of the archetype to be used. If the products are targeting the male clientele, then the male archetypes typically apply. There are other products that may be meant for clientele for both genders but will still adopt the male archetype because of the need they will satisfy. For instance, movie posters mostly adopt the male archetype when they are active or violence-oriented. Males represent strength and any products that are meant to connect with clientele on the basis of strength will use the male archetypes.
Image analysis
The Armored Knight image perhaps best brings out the male sexuality and self-identity through the exploitation of the male archetype. The contemporary media is full of male archetypes that connect men’s psychological syndrome and commercial exploitation of corporations. The Armored Knight image represents the warrior who wins female favors and elevated ego through violence against other men. Though not put explicitly, many advertisements seem to symbolize the favors and self-esteem ego through ownership of the products they offer. The strength that the men represent is subtly captured through the money or economic strength the men have (Solomon, 2010, p. 48).
In this Armored Knight image content, the rewards that these men are presented with come in the form of female beauty. These girls are presented as the ultimate prices for the achieving male. The Armored Knight image in other words presents men as the ones in charge and the custodians of strength. Considering the strength that people put to achieve success, male strength is the only archetype that is better placed to capture it. Through that, it connects with the intent of any commercial that may be so themed. The male archetype that is presented in the image reinforces the macho image that is represented by men and just like the story at the beginning of the chapter implies, women are only recognized for their beauty and caregivers as well as “objects” of comfort.
References
Furnham, A. (2008). Head & heart management: managing attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. NY: Routledge.
Solomon, R.M. (2010). Consumer behavior: buying, having, and being. New York: Sage Publications.