For many women, looking into the mirror each morning can be
a challenge. For me, it was a nightmare. Growing up was rough, I always saw
pictures of gorgeous models, and women whose beauty surpassed that of an
awkward teenager like me. Many people have heard of the Dove Campaign for Real
Beauty. I first saw this advertisement when I was about thirteen, and it
definitely changed my perception of me and the world around me. There have been
many advertisements concerning the Dove campaign, the first one I saw was a
video of the process a model’s picture goes through before it is seen by the
general public. This advertisement is just of normal women showing that beauty is
normal and broader than first thought. Popular culture has reinforced certain
traits in a woman that determine a woman’s beauty, and on a connotative level, their
value. There have since been other’s that show normal women with normal body
types compared to those of the infamous Victoria’s Secret models in an effort
to enforce a new acceptance for more than one type of beauty than what is
stereotypically considered beautiful.
The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty has come to influence
younger girls from developing a toxic idea of body image and trying to change
the popular cultural ideas surrounding what body image is ideal. This add
definitely reinforces the concept that more than one does not have to starve
themselves, or be upset about not being a size ‘0,’ ‘2,’ ‘4,’ or even ’10,’
that they can still be beautiful even though they may not conform to popular
cultures ideal women’s dress size. That a woman can feel good about herself
despite her size.
It is unfortunate to think that people have to endure awkwardness and insecurities just so that someone else can make a buck. This is a constant issue with many companies, especially those that sell beauty products. These companies make millions upon millions of dollars by luring customers into a fragile state of mind. I am glad to read that the Dove campaign had a positive impact on your life. People like you, who have not succumbed to these tactics, are poised to make a big different for future generations.
ReplyDeleteThis is a subject that saddens me greatly. I am immensely disappointed in the way advertisers, in a way, distort the images of the "models" they use. It makes me even sadder to see the impact it has on young women, who are all beautiful.
ReplyDeleteDo you remember the song "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" by Baz Luhrmann? There is this section of the song where he say's "Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked…You’re not as fat as you imagine".
He also say's "Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.." Much like the ad you have chosen these lyrics deliver not only an important message to the youth of our Nation, but also an important message to the older generations.
Wow! I love how you stated this! It is so true I always look at these type of things because I have been in a way haunted about all these images and small sizes looked for in this society. This is one of the few commercials that actually give props to a women for being a women no mater what size they are, what raze, color etc. they are. It is just amazing how a soap, can make us woman feel better about ourselves.
ReplyDeleteThank you for including an analysis of something positive. I think in studying pop culture we often become enured and focus on the negative aspects. I still think that these huge corporations that market themselves as different, as the good, responsible one, have an agenda that is not great, however. Is there another ad campaign dove runs that flies in the face of this one? Perhaps I am jaded and cynical only!? I just think of examples and am always looking for the hypocrisy. Like, McDonald's has just started posting the caloric content for menu items, playing themselves as invested in the health of their consumers. They don't say it is a new law to be enacted soon to any restaurant with more than 25 locations. Or Vogue magazine has vowed to their English audience that they will no longer hire models under the age of 16, but their over-seas editions have 14 year olds on the cover! It's a sad state of affairs when companies can play off our conscious-raising efforts as a group.
ReplyDeleteBody Image is a growing concern for the general public. I'm still amazed to this day by the sheer magnitude that hits a person just over one single compliment or hateful comment about their figure. It's unfair to label the average woman as not beautiful or being outside the standard for beauty when it really does lie in the eye of the beholder. I like/hate these types of ads because for one it shows the natural shape of the average American woman and conveys confidence for its audience. On the flipside some ads like this try a little too hard to push for whatever theyre selling knowing that if a woman has a good feeling about anything that makes them look more attractive theyre automatically gonna jump right for it
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