Look through advertisement that are aimed at specific people of color. For example, you might use advertisements found in either racial products, or you can look through specific racially-targeted publications, such as Glamour magazine, Essence magazine, and Latina magazine. Analyze the advertisements and the messages they send.
Select a piece of media advertisement that you believe uses race and/or ethnicity to sell a product meant for aesthetic purposes (i.e. makeup, hair products, shaving gel, grooming items, etc.) and discuss how those characteristics are used in the ad.
Specifically, answer the following questions:
Describe how race is being represented and what the messages to the consumer are?
Is there a particular body type that is being portrayed as the “ideal”? Are there particular hair and facial features that are portrayed as the “ideal”?
What role does race play in selling the service or product?
Are there explicit messages about race in the advertisements? What are those messages?
How are stereotypes perpetuated through advertisement and marketing campaigns?