Since we have begun reading The Beauty Myth and especially after watching "Killing Us Softly", I have been paying more attention to advertisements and all I can say is that I am appalled. We are plagued with images of women turned into objects and sensual advertisements with pornographic images of women. Most advertisements now focus on sexuality no matter what product they are selling, whether it be a car, beer or nasal spray.
In "Killing Us Softly", we were shown image after image of women being objectified. There was an add that made a woman look like a car, many that made women take the shape of a beer bottle and one became a piece of a video game. Making women into objects like this dehumanizes them. It implies that women are objects and not human beings. It also degrades women. The advertisement with the woman looking like she is a part of the car is suggesting that women are of the same value of a car.
The advertisement I have posted above shows a couple in bed together but on the woman's face is a car magazine. The slogan reads, "the ultimate attraction". This implies that the car is of more value than the woman. This advertisement can also make women think, "if this incredibly beautiful woman can't keep her partner's attention, how can I?" It is advertisements like these that make me wonder about our society today.
Another Volkswagen advertisement shows a woman's face with a seductive expression. The slogan for that advertisement reads, "you know you're not the first. But do you really care?" Can someone please tell me what that has to do with cars? They are not selling cars, they are just trying to look desirable by putting a woman's fake face on their advertisement.
An advertisement that was especially grotesque to me was a woman in meat packaging. It's slogan is, "Human Meat: Billions of animals are abused and violently killed because you eat meat". This advertisement made me sick. They are comparing animals to humans. This picture is of a woman that is obviously a victim of violent abuse and death is representing the abuse of animals? Badly done. What about all of the men, women and children that are abused and violently killed every day? I am sorry but such an advertisement is sick and wrong and I am appalled that it is acceptable in our society.
What is so sad is that everything is fake in every advertisement. There is not a picture that goes through that goes untouched. What is worse though, is that that is what women compare themselves to. Women see perfect bodies and skin and hair and they attempt to achieve a beauty that is not achievable. Advertisements today are fake and sexual. It is the only way they catch attention and attempt to look desirable. It makes me so sad to see our society accept and enjoy these awful advertisements.
