Gender as a tangible good?

I always understood 'masculinity' and 'femininity' to pertain more to character traits more than anything, but growing up with many forms of media surrounding me, it seemed more like something you strive to achieve and that 'masculine' and 'feminine' were consumer products. Scents to enhance, clothes to make presentable, lifestyles to mold, and it didn't seem like these products could be shared between sexes. It became apparent that gender is marketable.

Not only that, but these ad's seemed to dictate social cues and an power hierarchy through these gender roles they presented. Men appear confident, with rock-hard bodies that you can't get to the surface of, as if the products they're shown with wards off intruders and women appear submissive, as 'blank slates, with the commercialized products shown as essential accessories. The message I received was men are meant to be intimidating, while women should be pursued. Men are strong, women are weak. Unsettling.

Advertisements have already implemented ideals for each gender in our society, so to put a man who appears meek and gentle and a woman who appears strong and confident, could easily (and likely) make the audience question its contents and intents. Consumers want to buy 'masculinity' and 'femininity' and there's already a pre-conceived picture of what that is, to change the image will change the product's appeal. So, what is there to do? How about stripping away the promoted 'promise' of masculinity and femininity as a product's effect? It's tricky, because 'masc' and 'fem' have become so closely linked to one's gender, that if a gender-specific product were to be advertised without, people could be reluctant to purchase the item.

Make all products gender-neutral? Well, that's just silly. Men do not need tampons and I don't know a woman who needs a beard trimmer. Removing the 'spokesperson'? Possible, but I doubt would ever be favourable. Consumers want to see the results of the product before they purchase it, and the absence of a result would likely make the on-looker suspicious.

This problem is so lodged in us internally, that I feel a change in advertising would not alleviate it completely. These ad's are certainly adding fuel to the fire, but the fire was previously lit from a different source. Our society created these norms and companies are marketing off of them. If all the companies that have publicly distorted and commercialized gender 'ideals' through advertisements were to be boycotted, there would be no purchasable products left. If an alternative company that didn't resort to these stereotypes and ways of advertising were to be introduced, it could possibly flounder, because of the competition it has.

To remove all these social cues that advertising presents for us to obtain tangibly, I believe it has to start at stopping the marketing of 'femininity' and 'masculinity' as a product you can purchase. How do we get there though?

I say we're hopeless.