Body Image and Advertising

James McGuire

English 322, Section #567

May 6, 2003

Body Image and Advertising

I think advertising has an impact on how people see themselves physically attractive in advertisers attempting to sell their products. Researchers concerned undue pressure by women and men to focus their appearance.

A survey by Teen People magazine, 27% of girls feels the media pressures them to have a perfect body and a poll in 1996 by international ad agency. Saatchi found ads made women fear being unattractive and old. Advertising media adversely impact women’s body image can lead to unhealthy behavior. Women and girls strive for ultra-thin body idealized by media. Advertising images been recently accused of setting unrealistic ideals for males. Men and boys are beginning to risk their health to be media well-built standard.

An average woman sees 400 to 600 advertisements per day. By the time she is 17 years old, has received over 250,000 commercials through media. Only 9% of commercials have a direct statement about beauty. But, many implicitly emphasize the importance of beauty who target women and girls. A study ofSaturday morning toy commercials found 50% commercials aimed at girls spoke about physical attractiveness’. None of the commercials aimed at boys referred to appearances.

50% of advertisements in teen girl magazines and 56% of television commercials aimed at female viewers used beauty as a product appeal. Constant exposure to female-oriented advertisements influence girls to become self-conscious about their bodies to obsess over their physical appearance as a measure of their worth. As a standard for beauty, the bodies idealized in media are atypical, normal, and healthy women.

Today’s fashion models weigh 23% less than an average female. Women between ages 18-34 has a 7% chance being slim as a catwalk model. 1% chance being thin as a supermodel.

I’ve seen some Hollywood Stars on television who have some problems with eating and these women become anorexic. They try to solve their problems by eating more or going to a psychologist and a hypnotist. I hear from television commercials about exercise machines and medicine/drugs to help people who are skinny and those who are obese. I’ve seen those hiking bars that can help you loose weight. Also, many people do Weight Watchers. Doing drugs for an example: smoking cigarettes and tobacco cigars can be addictive and people wouldn’t live a long happy life. But, I don’t think it causes people from their weight, although it could affect in an assuming part of the human body.

In today’s society to have an “ideal” boy or appearance isn’t important. People’s perspective and their personalities are all different. They can choose whether to be fat, skinny, muscular-shaped, slim body. Are bodies affect with illnesses and diseases that scientists are trying to find a cure for them. Only God knows. The trend in advertising should change by using health products. Not to use drugs. So, people’s bodies can be regular fit sized. The Barbie dollstoys is a great idea but they take it too far to be way more for boys to be like the Incredible Hulk to take steroids. Even women wants to have a nice butt and bigger breasts so they have them implanted or take a drug. Even the caffeine we drink; eat assuming it can have an affect on are diet and people acting hyper over sugar and these addictions.