Beyonce Knowles
Old Aunt Jemima
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Blog Entry #1- Spokesperson
As a spokesperson for L'Oreal, Beyonce Knowles has truly helped change how black women are viewed within the media.From the Old Aunt Jemima face seen on a variety of breakfast foods to the glamorized ads found in magazines displaying the charismatic and beautiful Beyonce, the roles and perceptions of African American women have changed drastically. Respected for her success within the music,movie and fashion industry, Beyonce has much to be proud of. I chose her as my spokesperson because of the great contrast between what she personifies as a black female versus characters such as Aunt Jemima. Once mocked for having certain physical attributes,black women now possess what many many others are paying for from breast implants to lip injections.The stereotypical "mammy" large and dressed in servant like clothing with a heavy country accent was not meant to portray black women as intelligent or beautiful but rather draw attention to their role as the caretaker and servant.However,in ads such as the one pictured below Beyonce is recognized for her beauty appealing to audiences as a respectable and confident individual. This great contrast is the result of the producers trying to appeal to different groups consumers.
Beyonce Knowles
Beyonce Knowles
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There is a significant difference as to how black women are seen in the media today than back in the time of the old Aunt Jemima. Clearly, Aunt Jemima as a spokesperson was meant to represent a trustworthy servant, so people would feel comfortable to buy her food products. However, today, people are looking up to Beyonce as a beauty icon-- someone who you would want to follow in her footsteps-- a role model! Aunt Jemima was not a role model back in her day, and I think the progress of marketing is great.
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