The image, which I have chosen to analyse for this essay, is an advertisement for TagHeuer watches, the Link Chronograph in particular, featuring Tiger Woods. The advertisement is found in "Men's Health" Volume 14, Issue 5, June 2008. This magazine, and therefore the advertisement, are directed almost solely at the male market.
The advertisement itself is a double page spread within the first five pages of the magazine, making it quite a prominent advertisement and one that catches the attention of the reader early on in the magazine. A photographic images of Tiger Woods swinging a golf club takes up the first page with a caption underneath "WHAT ARE YOU MADE OF?". The facing page of the advertisement shows a photograph of the wristwatch in question along with the company's logo and the caption "SWISS AVANT-GARDE SINCE 1860". Underneath the watch in small print reads "TIGER WOODS AND HIS LINK CHRONOGRAPH CALIBRE S. For catalogue 0800 037 9658 HYPERLINK "http://www.tagheuer.com".
The function of this advertisement is to entice the viewer into purchasing a Tagheuer watch. The caption "what are you made of?" plays a huge part in this enticing. This is a demanding question, one which obviously does not refer to the substances a human male is made up of, instead that "substance" of which "winners" are made. Since this is a relatively recent ad it is easy for us to understand the relevance of a sportsman like Tiger Woods, and why some men would want to aspire to a successful athlete like this. Essentially the advertisement is asking the viewer "are you a winner?" or "do you have what it takes to be like Tiger Woods?". However who exactly is asking this question? Tiger Woods? The watch manufacturer? Or is the viewer in fact asking himself while reflecting on the image and text? I feel the lter is the more obvious response. The advertisement is challenging the viewer into thinking about himself and what he is capable of. In a sense it is promoting the viewer into considering the way he appears to the world and on the whole encouraging a certain egotism.
The advertisement itself is masculine in the extreme; from its text to the colours chosen and the images used. Tiger is dressed all in black and the golf club in his hands faces directly out to the viewer in an almost agressive manner. The image could also be understood in that Tiger is pointing his golf club out at you and in doing so directing you with the question "what are you made of?" at you. It could be argued that the golf club is somewhat of a phallic symbol, especially considering the masculine tine already found throughout the ad. This tone can also be found in Tiger Woods face as he stare directly out at the viewer in an almost confrontational manner.
One can also notice this tone in the dark background colour used. A black, blue and white gradient; the white finding itself placed directly behind Woods, interestingly highlightling him, not the watch, as the important image to take note of. The text and font used can also be considered masculine as capitals are nearly the only text used, no soft curves appear, apart from the "Heuer" in the logo. "Swiss" is also a central piece of text as the advertisers cleverly make clear the relationship between the company and thier prestigious watch making history.
The image of the watch itself is also extremely interesting. The lighting used around it is dramatic, with extremes from light to dark highlightling its bulky mass. This lighting technique is also found in many car manufactuers advertisements, and one cannot help but notice the resemblance of the watch in question here, to a car tyre. It is also worthy of note that the watch here appears on its own in the close up; this is also common in car advertisements. When the car is shown driving it nearly appears to be without a driver, a driver will appear in the end, but usually outside of the car. Although Woods can be seen to be wearing the watch in the image, in the close up the watch is very much alone. In watch and car advertisements this technique lends itself to helping the object, be it a car or a watch, appear more unobtainable for the viewer and therefore more desirable.
The watch appears sturdy, chunky and masculine with large pieces of metal holding the face in place. This appearance of sturdiness is also aided by the fact that the watch appears to be standing all on its own. One could argue however, that the fact that this watch should not stand on its own only adds to a feeling of unsteadiness in the image. Again here it is difficult to fail to notice this as somewhat of a phallic symbol; rising from the darkness and towering over Tiger Woods golf club.
As this watch is a luxury item and one, which resides in an age of technology such as ipods, computers and mobile telephones, it is really no longer a necessity. Wristwatches date back to the industrial revolution and emerged because of a growing need to know the time due to changing economic and social circumstances. Nowhowever, time is constantly around us and wristwatches are superfluous to the average individual. Because of this the advertisers are forced to be clever in their sell, and approach the potential buyer from an angle which will force them to question their very moral fiber. In reality this advertisement is subtly claiming that to v=be a sucessful "man's man", you need a TagHeuer watch, preferably the Link Chronograph Calibrekind.
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