Gender cliches: Do they work?

The use of cliches is not uncommon in advertising, however I have to question the use of gender stereotyping.
In our current age, gender roles are blurring every day so does gender stereotyping work?

Harley - Davidson uses the concept of a Man's man for their bikes....but really? Are women not allowed to own a Harley? Harley Davidson started the bikers' culture where everyone was welcome but now this seems to be restricted to males? Not sure if that's the right impression you want to give out.

Brian Atwood launched their Spring/Summer collection with a remake of a classic Marilyn Monroe scene. While I love Marilyn and everything is so feminine I'm not sure if I can relate to stripping naked and jumping in a pool with my heels on. The ad is too overtly feminine in a very old concept of what a women is about.

The one interesting point however of gender based advertising is that it exists in extremes. They either embrace the concept of gender roles in today's society or go to extreme end of the spectrum, as above. I don't think many people can relate to either. While males may perhaps aspire to be everything manly, I personally do not relate to a Marilyn Monroe type advertisement and nor would I want to.