Body Image and Sex Appeal in America Essay - 893 Words

The average American struggles with body image and sex appeal. People spend thousands of dollars a year trying to enhance their attractiveness. Media advertisements strive to concentrate on those insecurities of this society to sell products. First, most people notice her green eyes. Next, people notice that the doll has a shapely figure and curly red hair. The ad of an abnormal Barbie named Ruby shows the irony that most Barbie dolls are the exact idealized look. The red backdrop offsets her pale skin and emphasizes her curves. The font is bold and white to draw the eye saying, â€Å"There are 3 billion women who dont look like supermodels and only 8 who do† (Galanti). This ad points out the fact that the average women does not have this†¦show more content†¦Although its a subtle touch it gives the audience a good last impression of the store and the image they are trying to convey. They believe beauty comes from the heart and that if you do good things for the envir onment you will also feel good (Roddick). One argument for this ad could be Ruby is not an effective role model for the male audience. I understand it would be hard for a man to identify with a shapely Barbie, but that does not mean this ad is not effective for its targeted audience. This ad may not be directed towards men because beauty products are usually directed towards women, but that does not mean men cannot appreciate this ad. Some men are sympathetic to the scrutiny that women go through to be considered beautiful. So even though this ad is not for men that does not make the ad any less effective for the female audience and men can appreciate the ad for trying to tackle the large issue of body image. The audience for this ad is obviously directed towards women, but there also seems to be a specific age group. I would say this ad is directed towards younger women and people who grew up with Barbies. This specific age group is concentrating on their identity and are very conc erned about body image, so this would be the optimal age to advertise products to. Women who grew up with Barbies remember the standard created by Barbie that we must be tall, slender women. This is when young girls started comparing their bodies to their dolls. For most women,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Sexuality in Advertising1350 Words   |  6 PagesSex is everywhere you turn. Victoria’s Secret is notorious for their ads that plaster billboards and the sides of buildings, featuring scantily-clad women suggesting an obvious sexual air. The bags you receive at Abercrombie feature half-dressed models, often two of which may be kissing or touching one another. These sexual images are far too present in the every day lives of young children, much younger than what used to be acceptable. 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