Killing Us Softly described a real problem, that of advertising and the unhealthy and unrealistic messages it sends. People tend to view themselves in a social context, that is, they compare themselves to others, and compare themselves to society's standards. Advertising is often the vehicle for transmitting such standards, especially standards of beauty. The average person often fills inadequate, especially for women, when they compare themselves to the models shown in ads. This leads to a great amount of insecurity, which is exactly what the advertisers want, as that insecurity drives viewers to buy the advertised products, as a way to feel better about themselves.
One ad that relates to this discussion, and one that I find amusing are the L'Oreal 'age perfect' ads featuring 64 year old Diane Keaton. While the ads don't necessarily promote unrealistic images, it does feed into an obsession with avoiding age, and how to look younger. Diane Keaton being a senior is indicative of the target market for the product. What I find amusing is this, when is it time to give up? When can people admit ageing is natural and stop trying to fight it?
There have been some recent ads featuring women in the their 50s and 60s that have been very positive, image-wise. But then, just a few years ago, Sarah Jessica Parker was fired as the spokesperson for The Gap because she was too old, and she's only in her 40s. It seems that the ad world is not all going in one direction.
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