By: Sara Khan / Wayne State University
Mass media and its audience have quite a complex relationship. In fact, it can even be considered unhealthy. The media has control over its audience through use of strategy, deceit, and persuasion. This is especially true for beauty advertisements which more than often portray looks
that are completely unrealistic. Sure, it helps the company market their product, but it also negatively impacts girls all around the nation.
Self-esteem is extremely important for a girl’s healthy development. Without it, there’s no way for them to acknowledge their skills, abilities, and value as an individual. Beauty advertisements tend to relay that effect on girls. By displaying the “perfect” look, girls often lose their confidence and begin to feel they are lacking, overweight, or insecure. Beauty becomes the number one priority and girls resort to dieting and cosmetic surgery for satisfaction, which are not always healthy choices. Essentially, these girls are struggling to accomplish something that, firstly, should not be worth their time and secondly, is impossible to achieve anyway. “Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s Maybelline.” This catchy phrase has gotten many people hooked on Maybelline’s beauty products, but has anyone ever stopped to think maybe it’s neither? Maybe it’s fake, exaggerated, or simply just a Photoshop creation.
Well, not so surprisingly, that is the truth. In the United Kingdom, a Maybelline product ad
featuring American model Christy Turlington was banned on the basis that it provided unrealistic expectations to consumers. A couple of Lancôme and L’Oreal ads were also banned in UK for similar false advertisement. UK, for years, has proven to be watchful for misleading advertisements. United States, on the other hand, is just now beginning to follow in their footsteps.
Recently, CoverGirl released a mascara ad featuring famous singer Taylor Swift. The ad was pulled back after the National Advertising Division (NAD) approached them for excessive retouching in the picture. In the ad, CoverGirl claimed that the mascara doubles the volume of natural lashes. Upon investigating the ad, the NAD declared that the image was actually a result of digital enhancement and requested CoverGirl to affirm their claim. Instead Proctor and Gamble, CoverGirl’s manufacturer, decided to discontinue the ad all together.
These examples prove to us that something as small as beauty product ads have major
negative consequences hence the need to put an end to them. It doesn’t seem like the media is easily about to give up their money- making tactics anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean we should just sit back and watch it go on. Along with the companies trying to block the ads, society needs to take part by teaching children to love themselves the way they are and not let the media tell them otherwise.
that are completely unrealistic. Sure, it helps the company market their product, but it also negatively impacts girls all around the nation.
Self-esteem is extremely important for a girl’s healthy development. Without it, there’s no way for them to acknowledge their skills, abilities, and value as an individual. Beauty advertisements tend to relay that effect on girls. By displaying the “perfect” look, girls often lose their confidence and begin to feel they are lacking, overweight, or insecure. Beauty becomes the number one priority and girls resort to dieting and cosmetic surgery for satisfaction, which are not always healthy choices. Essentially, these girls are struggling to accomplish something that, firstly, should not be worth their time and secondly, is impossible to achieve anyway. “Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s Maybelline.” This catchy phrase has gotten many people hooked on Maybelline’s beauty products, but has anyone ever stopped to think maybe it’s neither? Maybe it’s fake, exaggerated, or simply just a Photoshop creation.
Well, not so surprisingly, that is the truth. In the United Kingdom, a Maybelline product ad
featuring American model Christy Turlington was banned on the basis that it provided unrealistic expectations to consumers. A couple of Lancôme and L’Oreal ads were also banned in UK for similar false advertisement. UK, for years, has proven to be watchful for misleading advertisements. United States, on the other hand, is just now beginning to follow in their footsteps.
Recently, CoverGirl released a mascara ad featuring famous singer Taylor Swift. The ad was pulled back after the National Advertising Division (NAD) approached them for excessive retouching in the picture. In the ad, CoverGirl claimed that the mascara doubles the volume of natural lashes. Upon investigating the ad, the NAD declared that the image was actually a result of digital enhancement and requested CoverGirl to affirm their claim. Instead Proctor and Gamble, CoverGirl’s manufacturer, decided to discontinue the ad all together.
These examples prove to us that something as small as beauty product ads have major
negative consequences hence the need to put an end to them. It doesn’t seem like the media is easily about to give up their money- making tactics anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean we should just sit back and watch it go on. Along with the companies trying to block the ads, society needs to take part by teaching children to love themselves the way they are and not let the media tell them otherwise.
Taylor Swift
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