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Hair Envy as Penis Envy in popular science

Hair Envy as Penis Envy in popular science. Christopher J. Taylor. Demographics. Total Audience: 6,863,000 Median Age: 44.2 Median Household Income: $73,823 Male to Female Readership: 84%/16% Ages 25-54 Comprise 56.1% of Popular Science ’s Audience

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Hair Envy as Penis Envy in popular science

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  1. Hair Envy as Penis Envy in popular science Christopher J. Taylor

  2. Demographics • Total Audience: 6,863,000 • Median Age: 44.2 • Median Household Income: $73,823 • Male to Female Readership: 84%/16% • Ages 25-54 Comprise 56.1% of Popular Science’s Audience Source: Popular Science Media Kit: http://www.popsci.com/files/2012-PS-Media-Kit.pdf

  3. The Advertisement

  4. Thesis Through a textual analysis of this Pert Plus advertisement in the September 2012 issue of Popular Science, I argue that the ad performs a dual function. Primarily, the ad highlights men’s insecurity regarding penis size in relation to other men in order to sell hair product. Secondarily, the advertisers make sure this is the primary function of the ad by removing any semblance of homoeroticism.

  5. How is this achieved? • The copy: “Face it, some men are just going to have more than you. More money, more power, more luck. But when it comes to hair, you can level the playing field with Pert Plus. It’s shampoo plus conditioner. Gives you clean hair that smells good, too. In. Out. Done. So there’s no reason to envy another man’s, well, hair. • It’s not about hair at all: the giraffe isn’t looking at the man’s head, and the man is subtly pivoting to face the giraffe. • The advertisers make sure the ad is devoid of homoeroticism by replacing the man on the left with a giraffe. They also artificially increased the height of the divider to cement the idea that this is 100% about penis envy, not an allusion to trying to pick up another guy in a bathroom.

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