Here are television ads for two products which appeared over the last couple years. I haven’t seen any other blog link these two ads, so here they are.
All of the ads feature a woman as consumer/patient/war-zone, with the product portrayed as a military force coming to “solve” the “problem” the woman has. I could get into the various layers of media analysis here, but this isn’t 101 and this isn’t Sociological Images. I just wanted to share these since they all have such a bizarre confluence of military overtones while also treating female bodies as deficient. What a twofer!
[Note: overt phallic imagery, anyone?]
Omnaris nasal spray (1)
Omnaris nasal spray (2)
[Note: The next ads might be a bit triggery regarding disordered eating.]
Ensure “nutrition” drink (1)
Ensure “nutrition” drink (2)
Against All Evidence 
This is a good post. I also took notice of those commercials when they came on television. I thought they were an odd mix between militarized aggression and concern. Kind of like that new “Mars needs Moms” movie where kidnapping is seen as ok as long as it’s for a “good reason.”
In most commercials, the formula is woman=problem, man=solution. Even if there isn’t a man in the commercial, it’s a product made by a man to solve the “problems” of women (feminine hygiene commercials, pornified shampoo/exercise device/diet commercials, ect).
Women in commercials are also portrayed as happy to clean, or to cook. One of my pet peeves.
Ain’t media grand?