It is difficult to construct an alternative to these mainstream images in advertising because clients and advertisers rely on stereotypes and culturally set norms in order to easily target their products’ demographic. However, I believe counter-advertising is an effective way to critique existing social arrangements” (Cortese 45). The synonymous usage of “subvertising” utilizes the power of brand recognition and influence against itself or to promote an unrelated value or idea (Cortese 49). A possible alternative to this cliché of abusing the female image for profit is by exaggerating the messages created by men to the point of absurdity. This can help break the never-ending sport of beauty attainment by showcasing women rejecting these ideals while being content with themselves no matter how much they weigh or how many wrinkles and age spots they may have.
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Advertising should reflect people of all walks of life and body types doing a variety of things. Humanity is filled with complexities and we all have a web of roles we tap into. Advertising should reflect that notion, but it would be extremely difficult to put into action because the pressures of advertising call for statistics, averages, stereotypes and generalizations to reach the most identifiable consumers possible. However, I will say that media such as the “Dove: Real Beauty” campaign is an excellent effort at healing the wounds caused by a continuous and ubiquitous feminine, and increasingly masculine, ideal. By piling these endless images of female objectification on top of one another the viewer immediately begins to disconnect from their willingness to participate in the struggle of reaching and maintaining perfection.
“Models themselves do not look in the flesh as they are depicted in ads. The classic image is constructed through cosmetics, photography, and air-brushing techniques” (Cortese 55). Instead of circulating the fabricated image of a woman’s face as a mask and her body as an object, advertisers should begin to minimize their overuse of retouching by allowing for the existence of pores and limiting their edits to the ridding of stray hairs and wrinkles in clothing. It makes sense why the industry makes it extremely difficult for the masses to attain the “ideal” look for either gender; without creating that anxiety to fall under the perfection category economies and markets would greatly suffer. What advertisers should advertise is the lifestyle differences between everyday readers and the images of people they see in the magazine. Everyday readers mostly have 9 to 5 jobs have kids and many other responsibilities. Most of those who are included in the media work hours and hours focusing on their image because that is there job.
Also, just as cigarette boxes must contain the mandatory surgeon general warning that was included during the health hazard media reports during the 1980s, in order to notify smokers that smoking was accompanied by health risks, ads with skinny “waif” like models and porcelain faces should include a message from the American Medical Association, or another credible organization on wellbeing, with a clear message that attempting to recreate this image could be harmful to one’s physical and mental health.
Work Cited
Cortese, A. J. P. Provocateur, images of women and minorities in advertising. Rowman & Littlefield, 2004. Print.
Kellner, Douglas. Reading Images Critically: Toward a Postmodern Pedagogy. 170. Boston: 1988. 128. Print.
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