As the athletic apparel industry has steadily increased sales, muscle-building fitness activities such as yoga and Cross Fit have risen to popularity as the go-to image of athletic achievement for both men and women. Advertising from companies such as Nike, Under Armour and Athleta depict toned and sculpted female bodies, at times looking at the camera aggressively. Thin, muscled women in Lycra shorts and sports bras flip tires or lift their body weight.
The accompanying language with these ads assures the reader that these images are still feminine and flattering. However, the mere presence of these phrases suggests that perhaps it is neither and the companies are looking to change how society perceives beauty for women.
This paper will examine current images from in-store and online displays of athletic apparel for women using a semiotic analysis to find themes and determine what these images say about the female form. In addition, I will conduct a critical discourse analysis on the accompanying language to see what themes stand out, using Gee’s framework.
This paper is part of a larger study that examines the changing image of yoga in American society. As yoga has increased in popularity, its focus on asana (physical postures) has begun to overtake the other aspects of the tradition.
Some examples:
http://athleta.gap.com/Asset_Archive...
About the presenterDanie Greenwell
Danie Greenwell is a graduate of Drexel University’s Communication, Culture, & Media doctoral program. Her dissertation explored the way in which mental and physical health messages are communicated: whether in the yoga studio, in mass media, or on social media. Her other research interests are focused on health, fitness, wellbeing, and sustainability and how these are related to promotional culture and consumer decision making.