COURSE : BE201

COURSE CODE : ESP402

Description of skills to be demonstrated in Visual Interpretation (20%)

 Identify the expressive qualities of mood, emotion and pictorial representation.

 Interpret visuals (advertisement/ photographs/ painting)
NAME (1) Muhammad Syaamil Bin Adnan ID AM1901005073

NAME (2) Muhammad Zhorif Bin Jamali ID AM1901005103

Title of Advertisement: We Believe: The Best Men Can Be | Gillette (Short Film)

Link: https://youtu.be/koPmuEyP3a0

1.0 Introduction (About the advertisement)

This advertisement is published by one of the World Top Brands which is Gillette.
The title of this advertisement is called We Believe: The Best Men Can Be and it is
starred by some big names and mostly little boys. This a minute and 49 seconds video
begins by invoking the brand's slogan since 1989, "The Best a Man Can Get", by asking
"is this the best a man can get?" This is followed by scenes demonstrating negative
behaviour among males, including bullying, sexism, sexual misconduct, and toxic
masculinity. Next an acknowledgment of the social movements such as #MeToo
movement that fight against toxic masculinity, bullying and sexual harassment. The scene
is continued by the footage of actor Terry Crews giving a statement during
a Congress testimony which is “men need to hold other men accountable". The ad
continues on to explain that "we believe in the best in men: To say the right thing, to act
the right way", since "the boys watching today will be the men of tomorrow." As a result,
the original slogan is re-worked to reinforce this message, becoming "The Best Men Can
Be"
This advertisement is basically a critique on some of critical issues but mainly is toxic
masculinity that would be a threat to the women, kids, society and even themselves. The
advert also gravitates toward promoting positive masculinity towards the end of the
video.
Mixed feedback we’re given by the viewers. Some praised the creative and positive
message of the advert, such as updating the company’s 30-year-old tagline “The Best
Men Can Get” to “The Best Men Can Be”, the promotion of “by holding each other
accountable, eliminating excuses for bad behaviour and supporting a new generation
working toward their personal ‘best’, we can help create positive change that will matter
for years to come’ as been said by its president Gary Coombe. But the backlash were not
any lesser than that. With a total of 1.6 million dislikes in YouTube, surely shown
 disagreement in which it is quite controversial for a well-known image of men
masculinity to support the feminist propaganda and causing a big stir.

2.0 Quality of Mood and Expression of Advertisement (In depth interpretation with
citations for your justification)

The quality of mood and expression of advertisement is one of the most important
elements to be included in an advertisement. Firstly, the mood of provocation is shown in this
advertisement when a voice over in the beginning of the video narrating “Is this the best a
man can get? Is it? Which is referring to the old slogan, The Best a Man Can Get but, the
question narrated were intended with a different meaning which is questioning the immoral
behaviour act of the men nowadays. Are these the best of them? That kind of question is
really provocative. Bergelson (2009) said by differentiating justification and excuse will help
us have a better understanding of provocation in which endless asking for justification or
endlessly given excuse will cause annoyance or in other word, provocation The uncountable
news playing in the background about bullying, sexual harassments and assaults also enhance
the provocative mood. This strengthen the idea of almost all the negativity in the world were
mainly caused by the Men. For that statement to come from a brand that is symbolic to
masculinity is really provocative as if the brand was oppressing their own target customers
instead of supporting them.

The expression of frustration is also shown in the video. In one scene of the advert, a
woman was shown crying while hugging a little boy. In another scene, a woman was seem
clueless and frustrated after being touched by a guy. The advert includes messaging apps in
the background that looks like iMessage were wrote “You’re a loser” and “Everyone hates
you” which could be interpret as the boy that was hug was constantly getting bullied in the
school. Right after that, a scene of a boy were chased by a group of boys were shown in
which the boys were chasing around and even causing such hectic as toppling down some
chairs that get in their way and make the place gets messy. This could be interpret as the acts
of bullying could never be mistaken with unintentional as the chair were shown completely
fall down and the room get a total messy is a perfect representation of the idea. J. Katz (1999)
said historical and cultural studies shown understanding emotional experience when
analysing texts, symbols, material objects and ways of life as representation of emotions.
3.0 Visual Elements that can be seen (Visual Language and Communication)

In the Gillette commercial, The Best Man Can Get, numerous visual elements can be
seen. Visual language is defined as a communication system. The term visual
language describes the perception, understanding and production of visible signs in
relation to vision. They can visualise it, just as people can verbalise their thinking.
The advertisement starts by invoking the brand's famous slogan, "The Best Man Can
Get," and asking, "Is this the best man can get?" Then followed by scenes showing
negative behaviour among males, including harassment, sexism, sexual misconduct,
and toxic masculinity.

The next Visual Language that can be seen in the advertisement is the younger boys
that watching the sexism that happen in the media and gets influenced by it. A group
of boys is sitting on the living room while watching a tv show that depicts sexism.
This kind of TV shows will influence the younger generation males to be a sexual
offender or rapist.

Other than that, the visual language where the younger males were influenced by their
parents. In this commercial we can see that the younger boys learn from their parents
on how to be a good man, for example there’s a scene where a father saves a random
kid being bullied. His actions have influenced his son to not bully people and help
people from getting bully. Next, there is a scene where a man stops another man from
harassing a woman.
The visual language in this commercial from Gillette has been successfully portrayed. These
visual languages have increased the quality of the advertisement and the message it tries to
send. Fight toxic masculinity and be the best man can be.

4.0 Explain the subtext issue in the advertisement?

In a literary composition, drama, speech, or conversation, the subtext is the unspoken

or less obvious meaning or message. The subtext is known to the reader or audience
over time, as the storey itself is not immediately or intentionally revealed. In this
advertisement there are some subtext issue. One of the subtext issues that we found is
be a good role model to the younger generation. In the commercial the younger boys
 will look up to older males. The older male’s job is to be a good role model to ensure
a good community and surrounding to the future generations

The next subtext issue that we found is that small gesture can make a change. In this
commercial there is some decent man helping other people who became a role model to the
younger boys. A small gesture like speaking out or pointing out can make a big difference.
Men must work together to help each other in order to create a better community for the
future generations to live in because men are leader.
5.0 References

1. Katz, J. (1999). How Emotions Work. Retrieved September 16, 2020 from

https://books.google.com.my/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=dWhjyniwCpkC&oi=fnd&pg=PP13&dq=how+do+emotions+work&ots=nNc
A9GwghP&sig=ciPLlBRfTsG2iTItA77e4Ap68HU&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=how%20do
%20emotions%20work&f=false

2. Bergelson, V. (2009). Justification or Excuse - Exploring the Meaning of Provocation.

Retrieved September 17, 2020 from

https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/text42&div=18&id=&page=

3. References

Dreyfuss, E., 2019. Gillette's Ad Proves The Definition Of A Good Man Has Changed.
Retrieved 18 September 2020 from

.https://www.wired.com/story/gillette-we-believe-ad-men-backlash/

4. References

Dreyfuss, E., 2019. Gillette's Ad Proves The Definition Of A Good Man Has Changed.
https://www.wired.com/story/gillette-we-believe-ad-men-backlash/

5. Hendriksen, S., 2018. How To Fight Toxic Masculinity?

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-fight-toxic-masculinity/