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I think it's ridiculously over-the-top.
Next thing you know the next generation will stop wearing makeup and not shave their legs because they don't want to be a "victim of the beauty industry."
I'm no woman, but I think it tells its message well.
It's over the top, but the message gets through.
I think it's ridiculously over-the-top.
Next thing you know the next generation will stop wearing makeup and not shave their legs because they don't want to be a "victim of the beauty industry."
It looks like they are trying to prevent anorexia and bulimia, rather than armpit-shaving, but that's just my take on it. I am so thankful I don't have daughters--I think there is so much pressure on girls nowdays to be thin and large-breasted that it has gone beyond ridiculous. Whether the pressure is self-induced or coming from the beauty industry or just men, who knows? I'm sure the men would disagree, but seriously, men with young daughters must have a place deep inside that gets a little bothered by the way things have gotten.
To me, their target is anorexia, bulimia, liposuction, breast implants, too much makeup, or anything associated with the beauty/fashion/diet industry.
But I have disliked their whole "Real Beauty" campaign since it started.
I don't particularly like their campaigns, it's the same old same old, "It's okay to be you" that is fed to young girls. It's an important message, and I don't condone it, I just think it's overdone, a lot.
I buy their products because they work the best for me.
I think it's a fantastic ad, personally. Great choice/use of music, good production, effective editing -- I liked it.
And I don't think that it's condemning the beauty industry as much as it is stressing the importance of parents putting that into perspective.
"Talk to your daughter before the beauty industry does."
I think that's a legitimately necessary message.
I've never been of the opinion that the beauty industry is inherently evil, but I think it (and its societal importance) can go WAY overboard. If I had a daughter, I would make damn sure that I did everything I possibly could to make sure that the images she saw everyday were put into context. Too few people don't, and that's why girls end up so confused and full of self-loathing.
Seconded. It's important to teach kids that it's what's inside that ultimately matters. If I ever have kids (doubtful, since, well, nobody likes me. <sniff>), I'm going to teach them that ASAP, especially if I have a daughter.
I just thnk the "images she saw everyday" are a lot more balanced than some act like they are (I'm not saying they are balanced, just more balanced).
I think there's a lot of press/ads on natural beauty, being healthy and fit not a waif, etc. I don't think every advertisement is about being anorexic with big boobs, like some people think it is.
I don't disagree.
I just think that communication and context are important, and that's why I liked the commercial.
I agree with that, but you must admit that when you factor in exposure, then the "anorexic with big boobs" message is much more powerful. The coolness factor adds even more bias to the issue (kids want to be cool and emulate what is considered to be cool - show me the last healthy cool female teenage role model). Look at the latest Britney Spears debacle, even the articles that criticize her as a parent never fail to mention how fat and unattractive she's become (in all fairness she's not that fat, as for the attraction part I never saw it so I can't comment on it) and most reactions to those articles are urging/hoping that she'll get back to what she was (thin w. big boobs). So I think the goal is set quite clearly (by the beauty industry, media, society... I don't care - it's there).
I personally like the "Talk to your daughter before the beauty industry does." message because frankly it's the only solution to the problem that I see - and I'm not entirely confident in it's success.
Edit (because I forgot)
I liked the clip a lot. It's well made, very direct and not ambiguous in its message (usually it's everybody is bad except us). It is also over the top, but I think it's on purpose, they want to use the shock factor to get exposure - I'm not sure it'll work but that's what I see.
Last edited by Slomo; 10-09-2007 at 04:39 AM.
Maybe it has already been discussed, if it has I apologize.
Have you seen the pictures of an anorexic model naked in the streets of Milan during the fashion week this year?
There's an article here: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...006007,00.html
It's very over the top, but it sparked a real debate on the subject in Europe - so I guess it's good they did it.
I saw a TV interview (can't find it online) with the photographer where he showed pictures of the same girl at a fashion show with make up and dressed for the catwalk and she looked really good, she looked like 90% of the other models we see on the catwalk.
I'll admit that I thought fashion models are skinny but I also thought that they weren't necessarily anorexic. I thought I would spot something like that - I guess I was wrong
Well said, Slomo, and I too think the message "talk to your kids before the beauty industry does" is a great message.
I'm surprised none of you have mentioned the proliferation of PROANA and PROMIA groups and websites - these people will teach your daughter that anorexia/bulimia is empowering and healthy ('thinspiration'), and then teach them methods to hide their behaviours and so on. Sick, in my opinion.
Oh, and as for the women from the original "real women" thread - they're not fat at all! They're women with beautiful bodies. Real women. I'm not at all attracted to stick-thin supermodels, I'm attracted to real women, and so are most of the guys I know.
Teenagers, because they don't know better, might be obsessed with the stick-thin big-breats model, but that's because they don't know . Most men know a lot better than to fall for that marketing guff... I hope.
Last edited by RuffnReadyOzStyle; 10-09-2007 at 06:24 AM.
I liked the commercial.
It has been a long time since I have suffered with any serious self doubt, but that commercial illustrates exactly bombarded I used to feel back in junior high, when my self esteem was low.
Back then, I was around a very mean group of kids. One day they would tell me my hair was too curly. When I would show up the next day with my hair straight, they would ( no lie) say it looked better curly.
Before I had hips people called me tooth pick legs. Now that I have hips, the boy shape is in. And the list goes on.
I never have acheived being " in fashion"- and yet have managed to lead a very happy life.
I guess fashion is not all it is made out to be.
That said...
The truth of the matters is that I have to actively ignore most of the messages I get from the television, magazines etc.
If I let it, the fashion industry would have me convinced that I have to "fix" myself constantly.
And it's just not hard for women, men are under constant scrutiny too.
It's ridiculous.
As for the campaign " Talk to your Daugter before the media does" , I think it is a great one.
My good self esteem started from my parents, my dad in particular, constantly instilling in me that I am beautiful, smart, and worthy.
The reason I know better than to believe the media now is because my whole life parents gave me a second opinion that was louder than the one on television.
Excellent Ad.
Seems kind of hypocritical for Dove to attack the beauty industry when they are part of it. Didn't they advertise for years about how their product could make your skin look younger because it was 1/4 moisturizing cream? I think the industry is the worst about aging.
While I agree with you in general, I give them props from excluding any product promotion in this specific clip. I've actually followed the link and it's not a page about Dove or any of their products. While I understand that such a campaign is designed to boost their image they are spending some money for a good cause - so they're a little better.
And you are right they are all peddling the young anorexic with big boobs.
I hope that I'm able to pass my "comfortable in my skin" mentality on to my daughter. I was thin...make that skinny...in high school and slowly gained weight as I got older. Would I like to weigh 120 again? Sure! Would I like to be able to wear a string bikini at the beach again? Absolutely! But I doubt I every will, so I've decided to embrace my "curves" and not stress over every pound. My boyfriend loves me and thinks I'm sexy just the way that I am and that does more for my self esteem than anything.
I think its a good ad. Not too over the top. Its got a good message. That "talk to your daughter" line is a little corny, but its true. Its all that little girls see and then want to become that.
I don't need an ad to tell me how to talk to my kids, I guess many people do. Eating healthy is important, education is important and sports or some physical activity is important. My kids understand that and we are still able to sit down and watch an America's Next Top Model marathon on Saturday's without my worrying that they think they have to fit that mold.
You probably hit the nail on the head. YOU are a good enough parent that passes on your values to your kids. Thousands of other parents let the TV and music industry and myspace and other outlets pass a whole different set of values. Plus you have another whole set of mothers that want to be their kid's best friend, and you don't see a lot of parenting in that situation. The commercials are probably not going to do much good, but I do applaud the effort.
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