After viewing Jean Kilbourne’s video, Killing Us Softly, we discussed how women were not viewed as human beings but rather as objects. One recurrent thought throughout the video was that ‘sex sells’. This made me begin to think a little deeper about it.
I think I am going to take the “WHATS THE BIG DEAL?” point of view.
So what is the big deal? The women who participate in these ads are doing so willingly. No one is forcing them and they are likely being paid appropriately. No one is forcing you to buy the product and you can always change the channel or look away. Who is manipulating who?
The ads are created this way because the advertising companies know that they work.
Young children are attracted to bright colors and fast moving objects. Their ads reflect what they like to see.
Women have expressed the desire to see ‘real women’ on TV. The advertisers are giving that to them.
Men want to see sexy women in bikini’s; that is what they get. So what is the big deal!
Think about it. When we see an ad with a woman in a bikini holding a beer in her hand, we know that the commercial is not about the bikini. We are not going to go out and buy a bikini. But the man who is watching, may very well decide to pick up that brand of beer when he goes to the distributor to get his case for the game. Not because it tastes any different than the dozen other beers of the same quality, but because the subliminal image of the girl in the bikini in his head. It should not be a surprise to us that these ads run around the times of sporting events and on the sports channels.
The little kid who saw the brightly colored toy begs for that toy when he sees it in the store. These ads are run before after school and on the channels dedicated to children’s programming.
The woman buys this brand of underwear because she BELIEVES that it fits the ‘real woman’. Again, these ads are run when the ‘real woman’ is watching and on the channels that women watch most often.
So… I will ask the question again. Are the women in the ads being manipulated or is the target group to which the ads relate being manipulated?
References
Youtube.com (nd). Fisher Price The Backyardigans Sing-Along Music Maker Commercial .Retrieved online from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yqHrJu1rzo
Youtube.com (nd). Fruit of the Loom ‘Flawless’ Commercial. Retrieved online from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05Lm44y81zg
Youtube.com (nd). Corona Beer Commercial with White Bikini Girl - Best Commercial Ever. Retrieved online from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFI5K0l8Nn4
I believe that the audience that these ads are being sold to, us as consumers, are being manipulated. And the models who participate in advertising these products contribute to the manipulation as well.Willing. So after watching the video last class the word "feminist" changed my perspective on what it is to be one.Will you consider converting to the feminism culture?
ReplyDeleteI agree ,the women in the showa and ads are willingly up for the job. They are grown women and this is their choice. But what is not fair is that they are the ones who are always seen besides the smart intelligent women who exist in society. Men began to want their wife to ressemble the women in the ad. Do you think this is a appropiate way of thinking? Do you think the image of women shown in ads or in television affect home lives between marriage couples?
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