Evoultion

Sex sells; when it comes to advertising, companies don’t hesitate to juice up their products by adding sexual elements to make a better profit. They can be blatant or subtle, but in the end it has one common goal. Most sexual content in advertising trivializes sex while reinforcing the idea that only young, hard male and female bodies merit attraction, with the exception of advertising aimed at the large consumer groups for aging baby boomers. (Crooks & Baur, 2008, p.20) This idea then becomes an issue of negative and false images imprinted in the consumer. More noticeably there is a bigger, indirect impact on young adolescent girls. I know this has become an increasingly disturbing issue, when I first saw the video/commercial “Evolution”, launched by the Dove® Self Esteem Fund. I knew about the air brushing and intense hours models sit being transformed, but the video really puts things into perspective of how fake the industry is. I’ve read more and more about the Dove® Self Esteem Fund and the research that was conducted by About Real Girls, Real Pressure: A National Report on the State of Self-Esteem, the results are overwhelming. Seven in ten girls believe they are not good enough or do not measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with friends and family members. (Kearney-Cooke, PhD, 2008) I read in the book that advertising helps break taboos. (Crooks &Baur, 2008, p.20) But I feel this statement should be treaded lightly when studies like Real Girls, Real Pressure come out with these staggering numbers. However, I’m thoroughly happy that Dove® has started a fund to help troubled girls face their personal demons and insecurities.