Print Ad Deconstruction

I chose was a print ad for Sleep Number mattresses.  The ad evokes thoughts of luxury, relaxation, comfort, peacefulness, and security. It depicts a married couple sleeping peacefully and comfortably in a luxurious bed. They are covered from the waist down and his hand in placed on her side hinting at security as she slumbers. Everything in the room is white, light grey, or silver, except her soft blue tank top, which is similar in shade to the color of the text which reads, “sleep number”.  Its color contrasts the rest of the text on the page, which is grey. All of the text is in a smooth san serif font that portrays the same nuances as the rest of the advertisement.  In between the words “sleep” and “number” is a button similar to the one on the product’s remote control.  It has up and down arrows that point upwardly, toward the couple, and downwardly, toward the motto, “Comfort. Individualized.”

In terms of gender related assumptions and messages, the man definitely seems to be the more dominant in terms of positioning.  Even though the couple sleeps side by side, from the angle of the camera, he is positioned above her. The placement of his hand on her side conveys the message of his being protective. She seems quite secure in the more submissive role. His dream bubble has a higher sleep number than hers. The higher number can be interpreted in many ways, most of which put him in a more powerful position.

I am unable to determine the ethnicity of the couple, except that they are not African American. But, by comparing this ad to the one on the Sleep Number website that depicts a couple in bed, I noticed that this ad shows a married couple, evident by a wedding ring that is visible on the ring finger of the man’s left hand.  The web ad shows an African American couple whose marital status cannot be determined. The African American couple is not resting peacefully, but enjoying each other playfully. That ad definitely sends a different message. The web ad also has the woman in the more aggressive role.

Regarding class, there are nuances of lavishness. The couple appears relaxed and trouble free. Does it convey the message that wealthy people sleep better or have fewer troubles? Yes, it definitely reinforces those stereotypes relative to class.

Jean Kilbourne’s statement regarding change being dependent upon “an aware, active, educated public that thinks for itself primarily as citizens rather than primarily as consumers” means that each person has the right to be an individual, authentically himself or herself, not defined by advertisers who attempt to make people appear incomplete or unacceptable without the product that is being sold. A person can be both a citizen and a consumer, but the key is for them to think for themselves and determine their own legitimate needs rather than allow the advertisers to tell them what they need. Citizens have rights, including the right to think for themselves. If a person is primarily a citizen he or she won’t buy just because they have been convinced by the advertiser that they need a particular item or because they believe the item will transform them into a personification of the images that the ad suggests. A person who is primarily a consumer will allow himself or herself to be sold without thinking it through for themselves every time.