A re-emerging image in Hollywood is that of the sex symbol, represented by Marilyn Monroe in the 1950's. Monroe is Hollywood's classic sex symbol, where the cultural phenomena she creates, instigates her immortal and legendary status. The first ever issue of Playboy magazine features Marilyn Monroe as the “cover girl”. By decoding meaning from this magazine cover, the visual and written text becomes a communicator for both obvious and subtle meaning conveyed through her image.
The slogan 'Entertainment for Men' is a signifier for the down classing of females as nothing more then sexual objects in our society. As a sign, the written text can be categorized as an icon as it directly connotes Marilyn Monroe as being 'Entertainment for Men', a playmate valued only for her body. This sign heavily draws on the inferior position that women held in the 1950's. The slogan only reinforces the 1950's discourse of a male dominated world where women were considered the 'lesser' sex. This cultural myth relies on the belief that men are the breadwinners who have the supposed right to monopolize and dominate females. Media industries were controlled by males; therefore Marilyn Monroe's image served the interests of men by