Electric Lib

Advertising at it's Best

I just went to the Apple website to try to figure out how to test my ink cartridge levels without actually printing anything (I know, must be simple... but I don't know). The homepage of the Apple website was an advertisement for their latest model of the imac. It said "The new iMac. You can't be too thin. Or too powerful." Obviously there are questionable and offensive slogans in just about all advertising, but I was really disappointed in Apple for this one. Of course they're sort of making a joke out of it, by referring to a machine instead of a person, but it's very poorly done. Because what they are doing is reinforcing an image that a particular kind of person, a thin and powerful one, is superior to any other. Although they're transferring this to a machine, they're still enforcing the need to strive for these qualities; qualities, which are generally very closely tied to other distinguishing characteristics. Power is generally associated with wealth (which also happens to be necessary to buy Apple products), and wealth is associated with other factors such as jobs-->education-->service availability (health care, police protection vs. profiling, etc.)--> life chance. These things can also be connected to race and ethnicity, as our society has been shaped in such a way as to favor some over others. They're supporting the idea that that is what you need to be in order to suceed in this world. The thin comment is of course just enforcing negative ideas about body image. It may seem a little obsessive to analyze one ad campaign this much, because it's just two sentences, right? But when it comes down to it, it's these minor details, these subtleties, that create an accepting atmosphere for the more overt prejudices in society. I guess even with all their college education they still can't think of a more socially responsible way to sell products.... Idiots.

That actually reminds me of another topic that I've been kind of interested in lately. I went to see the movie Hairspray and I absolutely loved it (as I've mentioned in earlier entries). In the movie, the main character is supposed to be noticably overweight, and she loves the way she looks. After that movie, I heard friends say, and I had even had these thoughts myself in relation to other shows or movies (not this one), that it is irresponsible to promote acceptance of an unhealthy weight, because it is in fact, bad for your health. However, I think that's probably a much easier view to hold when one is of a healthy weight. Sure, it's important to promote a healthy lifestyle: eat carefully, exercise, etc. But isn't it also important to promote healthy body image? Because isn't mental health just as important? I think the point of movies like Hairspray is not so much to encourage over eating (and certainly not lack of exercise, Tracy is shaking it the whole way through), but instead to introduce a different type of beauty. There is such a consistent portrayl of beauty as thin, that it really affects the way that people view themselves and others. The fact is that everyone is built differently, and regardless of BMI and body fat, some bodies are bigger than others. When a person is in a good state emotionally, and with regards to their body image, it is arguably much easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Would there be as much emotional eating if everyone was happy with their appearance? I think probably not. So, as much as society needs to combat the issue of obesity, I think there is also a need to change the standard of beauty.

And to end, the line that always get stuck in my head when I'm contemplating issues of beauty standards... From "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" of "Hairspray":

"They said the white has might

and thin is in

well that's just bull

Cause lady's big is back

and as for black, it's beautiful"

You don't have to be it to appreciate it. Ok, bed time! Posted by lib at August 19, 2007 01:54 AM