GQ: A Fantasy Lifestyle 1
GQ: A Fantasy Lifestyle
Spallone, John (Jack)
Rollins College
Introduction to CMC
Ted Gournelos
09/21/2012
GQ: A Fantasy Lifestyle 2
Abstract:
Through a textual analysis of a sleep-aid advertisement in the September 2012 issue of
Gentleman’s Quarterly (GQ), I discuss how the advertisement deviates from the standard
approach of the magazine (e.g., the fantasies of high fashion, exotic locales, expensive products),
by instead, showcasing their older demographic’s experience of reality. By showcasing an older
man’s point of view of his life and wife; the ad in the magazine emphasizes the overall desire for
sleep above looks, sex, or money. As opposed to those who aspire to attain the lifestyle of the
upper-middle class businessman who is persistently made the subject of GQ, the ZzzQuil ad
provides a rare and unique glimpse into the other side, containing a product that is marketed
toward the men who might have achieved that life. Considering the duality of products
advertised amongst these two separate age groups, the ZzzQuil ad essentially suggests different
interests that these two completely different viewers hold: one who fantasizes of luxury, and
another who understand the grueling demand of maintaining a luxurious lifestyle.
GQ: A Fantasy Lifestyle 3
GQ: A Division in Male Audience
Through an analysis of a ZzzQuil product advertisement in the
September 2012 issue of Gentlemen’s Quarterly (GQ), this paper argues
that a division in viewership is made clearly apparent by the type of product
being advertised, as well as how it is advertised. Considering the lifestyle
that the magazine portrays (formed by expensive designer products, for the
most part), combined with the large age margin of readers (18-49), two
types of readers seem to form the base of the demographics: those who are
wealth aspirant, and those who have achieved wealth (or, at least, a middle
class version of wealth, associated with work and visual signifiers of wealth
like products rather than easy, confident relaxation in the accumulation of
capital – which does not seem to be apparent in GQ). With the magazine
being a magazine that caters to a higher class demographic, the majority of
advertisements are evidence of a wealth-aspiration in the readers; a rare
exception being the ZzzQuil advertisement, which has many signifiers that
point it towards being for an older demographic that no longer searches for
products, but rather seeks relief from a stressful life of work.
Upon first glance at the advertisement, the top half of the ad is
striking. A close-up picture of a woman who is in deep sleep and by no
means attractive looking, she is far different from most other models in the
magazine, which are mostly metrosexual men or in few cases gorgeous,
skinny, seductive models. (This advertisement is by no means amongst the
GQ: A Fantasy Lifestyle 4
typical glamorous advertised product that can be found on the back of every
page in GQ – something that the younger demographic may even read the
magazine for.) While this woman in reality may very well be beautiful, she is
portrayed as a woman who is not concerned over her looks while she sleeps.
With a white tank top and messy hair, as well as a wide-open mouth, the
sight of a woman like this is only familiar to one person, and that would be
her husband. With this picture of this sleeping woman being presumed as
the husbands perspective, making him the subject, it should be noted
however that it is different from the “male gaze” so popular in feminist
theory, in that the camera is not seeing an ideal, sexual object, but instead
much the opposite. The model’s age is another key indicator for the
magazines division in viewership, where the sleeping woman appears to be
in her forties, signifying that this ad is for an older man again, or, in this
arguments case, a man who has achieved wealth. Because this older man
reads GQ, he is most probably a man who has achieved wealth.
With many signifiers pointing towards an older, wealth-achieved man
as the subject, other signifiers in the text suggest that it is an over-worked
man. With the image of the woman sleeping being presumably a wife, the
view of the ad suggests that of the common view when the husband comes
to bed late after work. Other indicators are the colors, which consist
primarily of shades of purple and dark blue, implying a late night scene, as
GQ: A Fantasy Lifestyle 5
well as expressing emotions of being overly-tired and hard worked. Other
blatant signifiers towards this case can be found in the copy.
With the older, working man as the subject, the advertisement can
then effectively relate to him without telling him directly “you need sleep”.
Instead, by using the supposed wife, they get on a level of understanding
with their market base and can then effectively tell the viewer why it is they
need sleep, all subliminally. By doing this, the product can successfully be
portrayed to the viewer, then leaving room for reiteration in the copy of why
“ZzzQuil” really is a necessity for the hard working man. The subtext found
on the bottom half of the ad is much like the top, striking. Reading, “Its just
for sleeping soundly, so you can wake refreshed,” and “Because sleep is a
beautiful thing,” the advertisement again relates directly to the over worked
male who at the end of the day is more concerned for sleep rather than
luxury.
For a man who is married and reading GQ, it could be safe to assume
he has had his share of achieved success. Having achieved wealth and now
living a lifestyle that is very demanding in order to attain the continuing
wealth, this man must work hard. A man that meets the older demographic
of GQ is probably in a managerial position and works very long hours and
long work weeks, as well as gets very little sleep. Having to deal with the
stress of kids, or even problems at work, the last thing this man wants is the
inability to sleep at night. For the few hours that he can, this man needs
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uninterrupted, deep sleep, and the advertisement attempts to appeal
directly to that.
The truth of the division of viewership in GQ is that most of what is
shown is fantasy. Nobody that has enough money to live the lifestyle that is
shown actually lives life that way. Once someone has achieved such success
in order to acquire such luxurious items, they don’t merely have the amount
of time to enjoy the way young, wealth aspirant males may believe and
would hope for.
A sleep-aid advertisement in GQ is rare. However by analyzing this
particular ad it is as if you are looking at the desires of GQ’s demographic
through a back door. Under most common impression, the magazine is in
fact an advocate for when luxury and fantasy merge. However, by the
uniqueness of this outlier, a different reality is shown. While most young,
wealth aspirant readers may not even understand the truth of the lives of
men who have achieved capital by this ad, through this textual analysis this
paper has clearly indicated that there is a deeper reality in attaining a
luxurious lifestyle.
“On my honor, I hereby authorize that I did not receive, partake in, or
witness any unauthorized assistance on this work.”
GQ: A Fantasy Lifestyle 7
References
"ZzzQuil Advertiesment." GQ, 09 2012, p.111.