Alcohol has long been a signature product of American consumerism. The versatility, sociability and availability of alcohol are just some of the aspects of the product that make it so popular. Alcohol advertising has become a parallel image of society and provides insight into the deeper problems of American culture through its consistent assumptions, generalizations, and patterns. Through the analysis of various beer, vodka and whiskey commercials it is possible to create and analyze a complete picture of current American society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Alcohol advertising brings billions of dollars to the most well-known and successful companies every year (Rockow). The problem is that alcohol can be dangerous. “Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with death and injury…” yet anyone is able to see these ads urging consumption of the harmful product, including those who have not reached the legal age (Pardun 97). Due to its persistent presence in advertising, alcohol advertisements have regulations that attempt to prevent the encouragement of underage use and abuse of alcohol (Pardun 91). Despite these principles, the messages, images and nuances of alcohol advertisements can be harmful to the way people are treated and perceived on a daily basis. Alcohol is meant for enjoyment. When people see alcohol advertisements, they see “the wonderful things that happen to those who drink, who are also beautiful, courageous, charming… lead adventurous lives” (Pardun 103). Corona has long been known for its lime-garnished drink and has created an image associated with hot, seemingly harmless summer fun. However, Coronas' "Gets its Lime" commercial plays deeply with the sexualization of women and the exclusion of certain age groups and sexual preferences. Throughout the commercial, women in bikinis are juxtaposed next to men working in the office. By having women exclusively present in social situations, when men are done working and trying to have fun, there is a level of understanding and acceptance on the part of the viewer that the man is the breadwinner and the woman is there to look pretty for him. The undertones of sexism this creates are still prevalent when examining the current wage gap, as well as “gendered jobs” and general attitudes towards women in the workplace (Pardun 131). Good thing that showing women's long legs, barely covered butts and sultry smiles makes them more like props than actresses when it doesn't go beyond using them for their appearance. Studies show that “sexual objectification of women in advertising conditions girls and women to see themselves as objects…this can lead to shame, disgust…” (Pardun 116). The use of women solely for their resources continues well beyond Corona's 30 seconds of fun-filled entertainment, but rather perpetuates women's perceived lack of importance in society. The Corona ad features several different scenes with various groups of people who couldn't have been older than 25. Although the legal drinking age is 21 and 20-year-olds participate, they only make up a small percentage of the people who actually see the commercial. Focusing on young-looking people, especially with alcohol, is dangerous for underage viewers (Rockow). "Exposure to alcohol advertising has important effects on minors' attitudes towards alcohol and on the perception of the positive values ​​of alcohol..."(Pardon 102). It perpetuates the desire to drink illegally and irresponsibly in hopes of achieving the same level of enjoyment, success, or beauty depicted in advertising (Rockow). The ad also featured several couples, all heterosexual. Inclusion is important because it reminds society that all relationships are valid; when only straight couples continue to be portrayed, only straight couples continue to be accepted. Similar problems continue in the Gray Goose and Cîroc commercials. Gray Goose shows a day out loving, black and white and sensual. No faces are shown, the commercial focuses on the actions of the two straight lovers. However, the man is shown surfing, pulling ropes, breaking oysters and taking control. The woman is shown rubbing her back, lying down in a bikini, flirting. “For men these images provide unrealistic expectations…and a diminished appreciation for who these women can be…in their full humanity” (Pardun 117). Constant and perpetual images of women performing mundane tasks are the reasons why society still sees women as second-class citizens. In the Cîroc commercial, celebrities including rapper P. Diddy, Eva Pigford, Michael K. Williams, Aaron Paul, Dania Ramirez and Jesse Williams party together at a posh Las Vegas casino. The men are shown playing, dancing, toasting and having fun while the women, despite also being celebrities, are simply something nice for the men to sit next to. Women are equally famous and influential, but clearly portrayed as less important in terms of appearance in advertising. Bud Lite released an ad encouraging the idea that during happy hour, coworkers become friends, and by drinking Bud Lite, this camaraderie can be achieved. This commercial, released in 2017, shows that the progress that society has had in recent years has not been completely lost in alcohol advertising. For starters, the main focus of the commercial was a woman. While this happens all the time, usually for advertising a fruity cocktail or wine, there are several reasons why this demonstrates such immense progress. Beer is generally advertised as a masculine drink, so the use of a woman in a mixed group of colleagues distances one from the idea that beer is a “manly” or “butcher” drink (Rockow). It redefines the assumption that women don't like beer and opens up a wider audience for both genders. Bud Lite has renounced sexualization and created an environment where women and men can coexist without anyone being degraded because of sales. The brands discussed above should take note of how this was achieved. This commercial represents a step forward from the dependence that American advertising has on the use of sexuality and gender stereotypes to sell. It represented women “respectfully and did not perpetuate negative ideas…” (Pardun 154). It introduces an idea of ​​inclusiveness present in its multiracial cast and a respected female lead role. Bud Lite continues its streak of inclusive non-sexualization with an alternative ad portraying a medieval setting. The ad depicts ordinary citizens giving Bud Lite to royalty. When a man tries to give them something other than beer, he is punished. There is a mix of races and genders, and although the king rather than the queen speaks and makes decisions, there is no overt sexualisation or objectification of women. Bud Lite's continued inclusiveness with its ads may be what slowly changes the tide on what is expected in alcohol commercials and what is assumed in real life. Johnnie.