Each day people are bombarded with advertisements which show“ideal” figures of women and men promoting the latest fashion trends, diet plans, etc. These images and advertisements often cause viewer’s to reevaluate themselves in the most crucial way which begs the question- What messages are advertisements sending in terms of body image and particularly who are the messages hitting hardest? While many people would say youthful women, this site would like to explain how body image, as portrayed in advertising can have huge impacts on everyone’s sense of self.
SOC Perspective
From a sociological perspective, it is important to understand what advertising does in terms of how we construct our own body image. The images of thinly shaped women with flawless skin and muscular men have become a major part of society thanks to advertisements. Each day people
are subjected to these ads and are brought to think of these “ideal” bodies as standard for what women and men should look like; ultimately allowing for
beauty industries to dictate what is beautiful. Unfortunately, these ads of ideal beauty are not normal and in most cases are highly unobtainable. Not every female is capabl of being a size zero or having flawless skin and not every male can lift hundreds of pounds and have muscles like a body
builder. From these ads of ideal imagery then, are high rates of people showing body dissatisfaction, objectification, and self
issues; which can ultimately cause detrimental side effects, as explained in other pages.
are subjected to these ads and are brought to think of these “ideal” bodies as standard for what women and men should look like; ultimately allowing for
beauty industries to dictate what is beautiful. Unfortunately, these ads of ideal beauty are not normal and in most cases are highly unobtainable. Not every female is capabl of being a size zero or having flawless skin and not every male can lift hundreds of pounds and have muscles like a body
builder. From these ads of ideal imagery then, are high rates of people showing body dissatisfaction, objectification, and self
issues; which can ultimately cause detrimental side effects, as explained in other pages.