COP 3 Essay: Refined Essay Plan

To what extent do gender roles and characteristics in todays society influence product branding and packaging, in relation to skincare/personal care 

5000 words 

Intro - 500 words 

set out intent, what I want to discover, explore 

Branding - 1000 words 

Packaging:

Consumer Perceptions of Product Packaging 

brand personality 

• Aaker 1997 
• Although brand personality traits exist and are an effective ways to connect with the consumer limited research is available to determine how successful this approach is as it’s difficult to define certain personality traits in relation to a brand as human personality traits don’t necessarily correspond to a brand exactly, making it difficult to measure the impact of brand personality traits. However there is examples of strong brand personality traits that make companies stand out and remain strongly linked to the consumer actual or ideal self, such as Coca-Cola which is seen as cool, all american which allows the brand to stand out against competitors such as pepsi who may not hold such a strong association with its consumers.  
• Personality traits are formed from direct and indirect contact with the brand based on association and experience.
• Emotional Brand Attachment Brand Personality

influences purchase intent 

• Consumer Perceptions of Product Packaging 

Gender roles in society - 1000 words 

gender theory 

• Judith Butler 
• gender as a social construct 
• feminist theory 
• John Storey 
• Storey discusses the different types of feminism and states how we can no longer talk about feminism as a whole due to the multiple ‘waves’ that have developed over the years in response to different issues that have arisen. Due to the multiple groups within feminism its more appropriate to too refer to feminism as a political movement, in which women have a voice to discuss the oppression they have and still do face. Storey talks about this aspect of feminism in relation to Bell Hooks (1989) who refers to this as ‘finding a voice’, a metaphor for self-transformation. 
• In relation to popular culture it’s important to look at the different approaches to women in popular culture in order to gain an understanding of women position and how to change their own identities and bring about social change, through ongoing discussions. Furthermore Storey discusses this further when analysing Mulvey (1975) which looks at women as spectators which Storey questions against  Gamman and Marshment's (1988) statement as to ‘whether the gaze is always male or whether it is merely dominant’. This lends power to feminism as he discusses how popular culture can be the basis for disruption not just a platform of ‘false consciousness’. 
• Storey also discusses Jackie Stacey’s (1994) who looks at the use of cinema in war time Britain for women who used it as an escape from hardship rather than an escape into luxury, which leads to women becoming a part of their own oppression through consumption.  

Connell 

Masculine theory 

• Hegemonic masculinity and emphasises femininity 
• Queer Theory:
• In relation to queer theory Storey discusses Butler (1999) book Gender Trouble in which butler discuss the cultural meaning that the sexed body assumes based on the assumption that there are two biological sexes. She also discusses the distinction between sex and gender which is not to distinguish between nature and culture ‘gender is not to culture as is sex is to nature; gender is also discursive/ cultural means by which ‘sexed nature’ or ‘a natural sex’ is produced and established as “pre-discursive”, prior to culture, a politically neutral surface on which culture acts’. 
• John Storey 
• Within this section Storey discusses masculinity and mens studies through Antony Easthope (1968) What a Man’s Gotta Do, in which he discusses dominant masculinity and the idea that is become a gender norm. Storey also touches on how some feminists are unhappy about the development of mens studies, as although it may help develop understanding about how men have become dominant many worry that ‘such research might distort, belittle, or deny women’s experiences with men and masculinity’.
• Susan M. Alexander

Combine theory and branding - 1500 - 2000 words 

• How gender influenced branding
• Bianca Grohmann
• Beyond Pink it and Shrink it 
• Impact on consumer 
• Consumer Perceptions of Product Packaging 
• Susan M. Alexander/Branded Masculinity:
• Within this section Alexander (2003) discusses Brannon (1976) themes of masculinity which discusses the stereotypical ideals surround masculinity. These themes are based on the idea that men shouldn't display emotion and gain status and dominance through status/occupation, the aura of aggression associated with masculinity is also discussed in line with the idea that men ‘should’ present themselves as invulnerable. Alexander also discuss Kimmel (2001) who goes through the development of masculinity over time and how our ideas as a society have changed as previously the ‘Genteel Patriarch’ deprived their status from landownership but was also refine, elegant and a doting father, wheres the ‘Heroic Artisan’ gained status through physical strength. However in ration to the modern day masculinity ‘marketplace manhood’ is more relevant as he gains his identity through success in the capitalist market as he gains power, wealth and status. There are now multiple expectations for men such as ‘faithful husband, good samaritan, law, nature lover, rebel, scholar and technician’ Harris (1995). The cultural and generational relevance of masculinity is also discussed as the strongest variable in differing visions of masculinity in generational, however research on pop culture has reveal that traditional ideals around masculinity are still prevalent today.

• Throughout this section Alexander (2003) discuses how men and women often have the same concerns surrounding body image based on the models used in mass media as they are told an ideal via imagery and then sold on how to become that person supporting text/articles in a similar way to women. This showcases how profit can be obtained by creating insecurities within both men and women based on the ideals associated with masculinity and femininity.

Skincare brands - case studies 

Aesop - high end 

The Ordinary - affordable 

Conclusion - 500 - 1000 words