Empowerment, Algorithms, and a Reno Mayor’s Brand

Video clip for Spooge.

Mayor Hillary Schieve often presents herself as a champion for women and women’s leadership. Yet a recent promotional video on TikTok for her sunscreen brand, Spooge, raises an uncomfortable question. While the models appearing in the video are presumably adults, their styling and presentation make them appear much younger—closer to teenagers than grown professionals. That contrast leaves us wondering whether the marketing unintentionally reinforces the very kinds of portrayals of women that many people, especially on International Women's Day, say they want to move beyond.