How does one advertisement attract people so much that they are provoked to buy a product? The answer lies within the advertisement itself as an artwork that is created by an artist. Companies pay professional artists to provide them with attractive looking photographs (or videos) that can sell the companies' products. They make sure that these artists produce enticing pieces of artwork no matter what their artworks portray. So, most artists find themselves working with the ideal women. These women possess the appearance that men desire and women want: goddess-like beauty, bone skinny, and above men tall. Thus, most advertisements that portrays these women are often the ones that attract consumers the most. However, Jean Killbourne, a feminist author, argued that most advertisements are attacks on women and how they perceive themselves. Advertisements like these create a sickening trend in women. Since these models attract men's attention, women unconsciously (or consciously) think that this is what men want from women. In other words, women see that they are and they should be the women portrayed in advertisements. Unfortunately, this "normalcy" is a growing trend that hurts women worldwide because they should spend their life on perfecting themselves.
An article by Maja Tarateta states that advertising and art has been walking hand in hand ever since mass media was born. The two cannot be distinguished from one another. Artworks in general communicate with people. They grab people's attention and immediately connects with their souls. Producers need this quality to sell their products. At the same time, artists need the job to feed their needs. Then, these artists are providing advertisements that can grab the attention of people by displaying attractive women.
photo courtesy of bild.de and pzrservices.typepad.com
In Killing Us Softly, Jean Killbourne primarily discusses about women being sexually "abused" in media, especially in advertising. Pictures like the ones above are more or less how women are treated in advertisements. They are shown to be sexual deviants, inferior to men, and gold diggers. To women and a lot of girls this shows that sex sells, do not go against men, and do your best to make yourself pretty. This trend of thought gives birth to little girls who only think about their superficial beauty. Douglas Rushkoff, in his documentary video called "Merchants of Cool," coined a term for these little girls, "the midriff." Certainly, this generation girls is hurting America. Not only that it defects the mentality of women, but it also degrades the morality of both men and women.
Below are alternative advertisements that do not possess the usual kind of advertisement. They are the "better kind" of advertisement. The three pictures show normal and plus size women. Bones are not visible and their breasts and hips are proportional. Although these three pictures are edited to make their skin flawless, they are nonetheless "more acceptable" for feminist minds. Do they solve offensive advertisements posed before? Not quite. Most normal and plus size advertisements portray women in their underwear. Thus, alternative advertisements like these do not necessarily lessen the sexual message.
In sum, advertisements are art forms that can be viewed as artistic yet offensive to people. Advertisements, or commercial arts, are like videocassette recorder. They provide the option for the people to consume things they want to consume. Depictions within these advertisements might be offensive, but this is not the fault of the producers or artists. Producers are selling their products and artists are simply displaying their abilities. We, as consumers, seek for astonishing things on advertisements because they grab our attention. When we're drawn into an advertisement we have the urge to buy the product. In addition, strong advertisements spark juicy conversations. Like popular news, people like to talk about sexy and naughty ads. Indeed, there are better ways on how to advertise, but in actuality, ads that do not attract do not sell. With a lot of movements going on today, we are moving towards something. Hopefully, we will reach a time when advertising can be pleasing to the producers, consumers, and people in general.
You make many different observations. I am curious about your note at the end. Do you link to this article you mention? Am I missing something?
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