ASSIGNMENT
For this assignment, you will critique the advertisement for Nine West Handbags below. Using what you know about rhetorical criticism, you will deconstruct the ad, identifying any underlying/connotative meanings, cultural narratives, stereotypes, and the like. Please interpret those meanings, using evidence cited from credible sourcing, to provide context for your critique.
EXAMPLE
As an example/assignment model, this ad for Deichmann shoes shown below seems to suggest that the reason more women aren’t promoted to upper management positions is that they don’t wear tall high heels. You could critique this ad for a number of reasons such as:
1. Reducing longstanding, systemic workplace inequality to an easily-solvable problem of properly accessorizing one’s wardrobe.
2. Perpetuating the stereotype that a woman needs to count on her appearance—instead of education, hard work, or intelligence—to get ahead professionally.
Advertiser: Deichmann
Copy: 80% of all top managers are over 180cm tall.
Go get them