I just don't make a practice of posting videos but this one spoke to me. I'm so glad there are some larger corporations thinking about things. It's about self image and media.
the problem is, this is just another marketing tactic. dove still sells products to women under the guise of "not being good enough", eg, firming cremes, b/c you couldnt possibly accept that things flab as we get older. its this type of marketing that gets even more insidious as we accept it, b/c as women [and ass a feminist myself], ive said "yay theyre showing real women!" but the company is still saying "sure theyre 'real women', but they still will never be good enough."
Your so right, but it is a small step in the right direction. It's like all those companies picking up on the "Green" business. At least it is raising consciousness, even if they are using to sell more.
Think about just a few years ago a plus sized models didn't exist.
i cant agree that it's a step in the right direction for anyone, because its not fueled by society demanding change, its fueled by marketing trying to suck more money out of people... i wish i could feel good about it, but i cant. dove and companies like dove dont give a crap about what i, as an overweight woman, actually feel like, *really*, they just want to open a new market and get my money. they only want me to feel good about myself THROUGH them so that i buy their products. and that's not supportive of our differences as women of colour/size, that's exploiting them for monetary gain. in this case, the means are really vile. [to me, no one is required to share my opinion :)]
I agree it's nice to see the motive and the message match. In our culture (unfortunately) is seems that money is the biggest motivator, for any kind of change. The big companies have the money to do things differently in the media, which sucks, but here we are in america. The cosmetic, fashion industry have been the ones putting this plastic message of beauty out there and they need to be the ones to start making it real instead (which is happening in small, but monetarily driven ways).
well i do disagree that theyre the ones that have to make the change, again, i "vote with my dollars" and refuse to let them dictate to me how i should look. they shouldnt be responsible, we should.
we need to do something no one is doing enough, and while i do agree that we have to stop "purchasing" her, it also includes stopping watching shows that demoralize women and pit them against one another in beauty contests, we have to stop rewarding beauty and penalizing anything less than perfection, we have to stop rewarding people for the clothes they wear, we have to make priorities in schools for BOTH boys and girls to talk not only about the false representations of women but also of men, we have to get some feminist perspectives into grade schools and highschools, we need to emphasize health from a young age, we need to actively get the duct tape off our mouths when others enforce negative stereeotypes [for instance, while in NH, i heard a mother tell her child she was a "piggie" for eating the meal the woman had ordered for her], we need WAY more people of colour and size in entertainment to cross stereotypical lines, we need to stop glorifying hollywood [and i loves me sosme hollywood so that one is going to be so hard, i
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its up to US to force them to change. we're the ones with the power
And talking to the corporations in their language (money) does force them. The small percent of us who don't "buy" into the plastic woman don't have much of an impact for them. I think if some women who do buy, switch over to Dove and they see that this "marketing tactic" works, they will continue it. The repercussions of this could be that other companies do the same and then suddenly there are more real women in the media/ ads.
In the mean time it can't hurt for girls to see ads like this uncovering the unrealness of models and ads.
switching to buy something different has absolutely no bearing on the realness of a woman. thats all im trying to say. advertiing companies excel at convincing us we need their shit, they dont give a crap who we are or how we feel. thats my point.
I do see your point and your right. I am just a hopeless optimist who tries to see the light at the end of any tunnel. Today I saw some light at the end of the advertising tunnel. It may be a bit poisoned but at least it is there.
I think you did a great job. No need to defend your opinion either, that part of the joy in life...that we are all different, in thinking, feeling, size, use of beauty products, indulgence in culture, everything.
Hope you feel better soon. I remember once bloggging while on some serious drugs and saying some really way out there things. Some people must have thought me a really strange (which I actually am). Don't worry I still think your "a fabulously delusional whack job" and love you for it.
like, ive never thought to myself "i demand prada avertize to me in a way that will make me buy their clothing!"
thats what i mean about this whole thing. if they start using chubby chicks in their advertizing, it aint for the benefit of feeling better about myself, its coz they want me to buy their stuff. the intent is so vital behind the action. advertizing is SO ingrained in our cultures that we take it for granted as a fact of life. hell, people actually give money to the gap to wear shirts that say GAP on them. WHAT THE HELL? they just gave money to a company for the benefit of advertizing FOR THAT COMPANY. and they had to pay for the priveledge!!!
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dove still sells products to women under the guise of "not being good enough", eg, firming cremes, b/c you couldnt possibly accept that things flab as we get older. its this type of marketing that gets even more insidious as we accept it, b/c as women [and ass a feminist myself], ive said "yay theyre showing real women!" but the company is still saying "sure theyre 'real women', but they still will never be good enough."
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Think about just a few years ago a plus sized models didn't exist.
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I agree it's nice to see the motive and the message match. In our culture (unfortunately) is seems that money is the biggest motivator, for any kind of change. The big companies have the money to do things differently in the media, which sucks, but here we are in america. The cosmetic, fashion industry have been the ones putting this plastic message of beauty out there and they need to be the ones to start making it real instead (which is happening in small, but monetarily driven ways).
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And talking to the corporations in their language (money) does force them. The small percent of us who don't "buy" into the plastic woman don't have much of an impact for them. I think if some women who do buy, switch over to Dove and they see that this "marketing tactic" works, they will continue it. The repercussions of this could be that other companies do the same and then suddenly there are more real women in the media/ ads.
In the mean time it can't hurt for girls to see ads like this uncovering the unrealness of models and ads.
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i like to be optimistic as well, but as an INFJ personality, i have to always question intent. the "why" of something is vital to me :)
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Hope you feel better soon. I remember once bloggging while on some serious drugs and saying some really way out there things. Some people must have thought me a really strange (which I actually am). Don't worry I still think your "a fabulously delusional whack job" and love you for it.
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thats what i mean about this whole thing. if they start using chubby chicks in their advertizing, it aint for the benefit of feeling better about myself, its coz they want me to buy their stuff. the intent is so vital behind the action. advertizing is SO ingrained in our cultures that we take it for granted as a fact of life. hell, people actually give money to the gap to wear shirts that say GAP on them. WHAT THE HELL? they just gave money to a company for the benefit of advertizing FOR THAT COMPANY. and they had to pay for the priveledge!!!
it makes my head spin.
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Thank you for your words today. Just love a good conversation.
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