In America, Beer Equals Manly?

Commercials for beer reinforce multiple stereotypes of what American men are supposed to enjoy. The first, of course, is beer. In some commercials for light beer, the man is considered not manly if he settles for a beer that is not from the brand that is being advertised. In one commercial a man is shown wearing women's jeans and in another he is shown hiking in the mountains with a knapsack. These two commercials believe that men are supposed to enjoy beer of a certain kind or they are not manly.

Another stereotype that these commercials reinforce is that men enjoy watching sports, specifically football. Many beer commercials are centered on groups of men gathered around the TV watching football while drinking their beer. It is reinforcing the belief that to be manly, you have to enjoy watching football. Another way that these commercials reinforce this stereotype is that beer commercials are only on during sports games.

Comments

[Erin M.]

I enjoy your cultural analysis! So many people can defend women on how they are portrayed in ads and in the media, but many forget how men are poorly portrayed as well. I think for one thing, in particular, that is interesting that men were seen as not "manly" if they decided to drink the light beer rather than the one advertised because so many Americans complain on how America is, or is becoming, one of the most over weight countries in the world. Also, I am remembering from one time I saw a giant billboard advertising Bud Light with three women in bathing suits on it, so that is a major gender stereotype saying women should drink light and men would be feminine if they did. That brings up an interesting view on how advertisers try to catch the eye of consumers.

[Andrew N.]

I do feel that men are being pressured to act a certain way in order to be manly. Although the idea that beer comercials are only aired durring sportting events is untrue. Many of the major networks do run these comercials constantly on all diffrent types of programs.

[joe dores]

In American men are told to be manly so i agree with that point. Also Men are always pressured to do what the media want. They need to be tough and drink the right beer as you said. I do not believe this is true but the media wants men to act how they want them to.

[Leslie T.]

I like your cultural analysis as well! With the commercials being shown nowadays on television about men, it usually involves a task a man must do in order to become a man. It gives us guys a bad look in some way because the media is making it seem that certain attributes can make you manly, which I find completely unfair.

[Lephate C.]

I agree with your cultural analysis. The stereotypes with commercials are really portraying the "manly" factor of beer, and it's sad that the commercials are not speaking up about the health problems.