Masculinity phenomenon presented in the advertisements of man magazines in Turkey: Semiotic analysis of costume advertisements in GQ, Men's Health and Esquire

The masculinity images (myhts) which are presented in costume advertisements of selected men magazines that are published in Turkey, are evaluated in this work (article ) within the scope of gender and masculinity theories with a comprehensive literature review. The life style magazines that offer suggestions for a general context of how a man's life must be or how a man must be. In this context these magazines produce contents about what men's attitudes, behaviours, dressing codes, hobbies, relationships , etc. must be. The role of the media especially the advertisements' effects are discussed over the formation process of masculinity styles due to the idealised image that is produced by the men magazines which are published by global media groups and spread on a large area in the international market. The advertisements' messages are evaluated within the scope of cultural and ideology theories and are clarified with perspective of consumption culture theories. The masculinity images (myhts ) presented in selected advertisements are analysed in the context of critical paradigms. Masculinity myhts in advertisements are aimed to be reveal by clearing up the 6 costume advertisements selected from the GQ Türkiye, Men's Health and Esquire magazines which are published in Turkey in reference to the semiotic theory of Roland Barthes. The effects of masculinity images and lifestyles presented in advertisements on consumption habits of man are evaluated in the context of critical paradigms. As a result of this context, it is precipated that the masculinity identities have been formed upon consumption and modern masculinity identities have been influenced from luxury consumption habits. It is seen that the cultural differences have been disappeared and new universal masculin identities have been brought into use by way of universal language used in advertisements. Key Words: Masculinity, Semiotic, Advertisement, Ideology, Cultural Research.