English W131 Prompt 3 - Image Analysis

Image Analysis

The Improv Anywhere group got together to flood the Abercrombie & Fitch store in New York with over one hundred shirtless men. The men ranged from young to middle-aged, heavy-set to thin, and of various races. Their goal was to make a statement that men come in all shapes and sizes despite the models with six-packs plastered all over the store’s walls, the six foot tall bronze statue, and the model standing in the doorway to greet customers. As the camera followed the groups around, the dim lighting caused glares on the lens as the camera tried adjusting to the store’s atmosphere. Their activity turned out to not be okay with store security as they were rounded up and kicked out from the store. Some of the shots were composed to contrast the less-than-perfect men walking around with the chiseled appearance of the models depicted all over the Abercrombie & Fitch store. Some of the men, a few heavier set, even posed alongside the hired model, who welcomed customers to the store, to provide a contrast to the façade of perfection in male appearance. Viewers could see the looks the men were receiving from other customers in the Abercrombie & Fitch store, most of disgust, as they wandered around and shopped. It showed the hypocrisy engrained in the other customer’s minds: having a shirtless model at the door and pictures of models around the store is perfectly fine, yet an average man walking around shirtless is disgusting or something that is not allowed.

            The audience is focused toward anyone who knows of Abercrombie & Fitch or anything about how media depicts men as a way to point out the flaws in that advertisement. Society has turned to using “perfect” models for advertising practically anything on the market, especially Abercrombie who has pictures of male models all over the store. The goal of the video was to enlighten the viewers of the issues plaguing our society when it comes to the image of a person. If they are not perfect, according to societal standards, they are not given the same rights as others of “better standings”.