Male product endorsers and the embodiment of modern Thai masculinities in skincare advertisements.

This article examines how masculinity is represented in skincare advertisements in Bangkok, Thailand, through a social semiotic analysis of advertising signs featuring male endorsers. It identifies two main forms of masculinity: a traditional, stereotypical masculinity linked to male heterosexuality, and the "new man," characterized by softer traits, feminine gestures, and alignment with pan-Asian beauty ideals such as fair skin. The study highlights the use of multilingual texts and the depiction of male celebrities as aspirational figures promoting not only masculinity but also a modern, middle-class urban lifestyle. While these advertisements reflect increasing diversity in masculine identities, they also reinforce social class distinctions and consumerist pressures. Overall, the "new man" serves as a significant marketing tool in Thailand's growing male grooming industry, embodying contemporary ideals of masculinity within the urban linguistic landscape.