Advertisements and Hegemony

Fair and Lovely

Fair and Lovely is a product that is meant to brighten one's skin color.
It reflects social issues that have been embedded into people's minds ever since colonialism in the 19th and 20th century.

The advertisement challenges the long-prevalent social idea that women tend to be more passive and graceful.
Despite how the sports scene has historically been dominated by men, the Nike advertisement shows that women are just as capable and can accomplish great things as well.
It speaks against the traditional hegemony of men taking the leading role, which has been especially dominant in sports and has historically led to discrimination.

The advertisement addresses a similar social issue to the previous advertisement, but focuses more on social expectations of women and their capabilities.
It challenges the hegemon train of thought that women aren't able to be competitive athletically.
Through various examples of famous female athletes, it shows that women can be just as determined, powerful and persistent, as men, if not more than.
It encourages the audience to not be held back by the views and opinions of others based in historical prejudice.

Through such ads, Nike builds their brand image as one that empowers people, especially those on the margins who have generally been discriminated or disregarded.