The Hyperreal Gambler: On the Visual Construction of Men in Online Poker Ads

Abstract

Online poker, like gambling in general, is predominantly a male activity. Thus, poker ads most often depict men as their protagonists. According to Jean Baudrillard, advertising can be seen as a 'plebiscite whereby mass consumer society wages a perpetual campaign of selfendorsement.' Ads often use stereotypical imagery for establishing a shared experience of identification with the consumer, and since their role is to sell rather than to portray the realities of life, they often have an exaggerated and monolithic -or, hyperreal -way of representing gender. This article offers an analysis of the ways in which men are portrayed in the ads of Poker Magazine Finland in the volume of 2009 (all six issues), at the peak of the so-called online poker boom.Theoretically, the article draws on postmodern theorists such as Jean Baudrillard and particularly on his concept of hyperreality (exaggerated and media-saturated reality) to analyze the way males are portrayed in the ads in question.

“Be Soft”: Irony, Postfeminism, and Masculine Positions in Swedish Sport Betting Commercials

“…Representations of men have changed in many contexts, but Jouhki (2017) suggests that “rock solid” manhood holds its ground in gambling advertising. In stark contrast to this, hardness is dismissed as cheesy, a ridiculous charade, in the Bethard commercials.…”

“…While most forms of gambling are arguably connected to risk-taking, sports betting and horse racing are connected to knowledgeability, rationality, and control (Hansson 2004), sports possibly adding an element of masculine embodiment and toughness (Whannel 1999). Contrastingly, poker and casino games are associated with toughness, glamour (Jouhki 2017) and, variously, skill and control.…”

“…Internationally, a small body of research discusses gambling advertising and gender. Researchers from various parts of the world (Australia, Macau, Finland, Spain, and the UK) point to the predominance of men among those addressed as gamblers (and winners) and to stereotypical and sexualized portrayals of women and show that gambling is often framed as an activity undertaken among male friends (Deans et al 2016; Jouhki 2017; Lopez-Gonzalez et al 2018; Sen and Lou 2016). For instance, Jukka Jouhki (2017) studies Finnish poker advertisements and shows that they contain “images traditionally associated with masculinity: seriousness, gravity and power or aggression.” He points to dark colors and muscular, tough, athletic, or glamorous men, sometimes surrounded by glamorous, admiring women.…”

“…Returning to the discussion about changed representations of men in contemporary consumer culture, Jouhki suggests that this has not affected poker advertisements: “the hegemonic masculinity which is nowadays more flexible and contested in ads than ever…is rather stable, if not stereotypical in poker…the gaming men are rock solid and operate in the ‘masculine mode of exigency and competition’” (Jouhki 2017, 196). Moreover, Cassidy argues that while masculine dominance has been critiqued in sports, entertainment, business, and politics, betting has been dismissed as “trivial, morally ambiguous and inconsequential.” As a result of this lack of critical attention, betting shops have been “able to provide a ‘haven’ for the performance of a particular kind of masculinity” (Cassidy 2014, 187).…”

“…This includes the imperative to be soft and celebrate softness, evident in the aforementioned scenes, which I argue should be interpreted in relation to gender politics but also as a way of rehabilitating betting and gambling. Research on gambling commercials and gender indicates that stereotypical portrayals of masculinity are common (Deans et al 2016; Jouhki 2017; Lopez-Gonzalez et al 2018; Sen and Lou 2016). The assertion that the roaring, oil drums, and fires, all connected to hypermasculine action-movie performances, are “cheesy” makes this commercial stand out, signaling, I suggest, a shift in gambling commercials and a connection to postfeminist representations of men.…”