I agree and really appreciate the message given in the video. Advertisement plays such an unrealistic world in which we follow so willingly even when we believe we shouldn’t. Most people like she said, don’t know the tactics behind advertising and therefore, follow it blindly. Women know that they don’t look like the flawless women they see in advertising, but still try to push themselves in that direction because men also follow it blindly. It’s a nasty cycle that women and men both play in the advertising game. I’ve noticed the tactics in advertising because I have been studying it for a few years now, but it can sometimes get to me and my insecurities. I think men watch these women in advertisement and expect us to be in that same world. I think that’s why women have such a problem with wanting to listen to their mind, but can’t help what they see. It is a hurtful stereotype that women should look a certain way. We tell others that no one is perfect, but have these expectations for each other to be that way. It can also be frustrating when they use certain words that drawl your attention to their products, but the products don’t “fight against aging” or provide that “flawless” look we are looking for. Advertising gears their message to fixing all those flaws in which we should embrace within ourselves. Their main focus is on young women. I don’t personally see many ads for men or for other races besides Caucasian. I don’t see this changing as well.
The ads I chose all were discussed in the video. The beauty ad is similar to the ones she was presenting. The message here is even at war you still have to be beautiful. The Covergirl ad talks about lighting up your eyes which would be interpreted that light eyes are what are beautiful. Lighting your eyes also makes you look younger. They also lightened Rihanna’s skin color in the ad. The eyelash ad makes me irritated because not only do I need to remove as much hair on my body as possible, to be glowing, and skinny, I also have to have long eyelashes. The Victoria Secret ad promotes the perfect body with every female in the ad being skinny with perfect curves. The makeup ad promotes having anti-aging skin. The product erases three things that are a part of aging. The product has the word “eraser” as if it will magically make your face smooth and radiant. All these ads target having a flawless, perfect body and skin.
