Advertisement Analysis :　Hornbach - So riecht das Frühjahr | TV Spot 2019 - Jeong seolah (정설아)

 A German home improvement supply company, Hornbach, sparked controversy with an advertisement in which a white man sexually objectifies an Asian woman. Men are shown breathing heavily while working in a garden. Then, they remove their sweat-soaked clothes and throw them to people dressed in lab coats. These collected clothes are vacuum-packed and transported. The scene transitions to a young Asian woman in front of a vending machine in a city. She buys one of the packages, quickly opens it, and, smelling the underwear, shows an ecstatic expression. Then a subtitle appears in German: "This is the smell of spring.“

 

1. What message does this image send to young girls about sex?

 

Internalization of sexual objectification: This advertisement may send the message to young girls that they can be perceived as sexual objects. Images in which women are primarily portrayed as objects of sexual desire or consumption can plant distorted expectations about appearance and sexual attractiveness in young girls, and lead them to form mistaken beliefs that their value lies in their external and sexual characteristics.

 

Impact on self-esteem: Such imagery increases the likelihood that girls will adopt a misguided perspective in which their identity depends solely on appearance or sexual attractiveness, which can negatively affect self-esteem and mental health. It may also contribute to an environment where women’s worth is not recognized beyond their sexual features.

 

2. What message does this image send to young boys about sex?

 

Sexual objectification of women: The depiction of women as sexual objects or commodities in the advertisement can lead young boys to view women as objects for fulfilling sexual desire. As a result, boys may focus more on sexual objectification rather than mutual respect or emotional connection in relationships with women.

 

Normalization of sexual consumption: The scene in which the female character displays sexual pleasure and that response is emphasized may deliver a message that women are tools to satisfy physical desire in sexual relationships. This perspective can hinder the formation of healthy relationships and lead to relationships lacking mutual respect.

 

3. What message does this image send to older men about sex?

 

Reinforcement of sexual consumption and power: To older men, this advertisement may send a message that women can be seen as objects of sexual consumption. Especially, depicting women as beings who fulfill physical desires can contribute to strengthening sexual power imbalances. This may reinforce attitudes of consumption or dominance over respect for women.

 

Sexual objectification of women: The sexual objectification shown in the advertisement can reinforce a mindset in older men that prioritizes sexual desire for women. Such an attitude can obstruct the development of healthy relationships and mutual respect, and risks deepening gender inequality.

 

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