It's Time to Get Real.
- Monica Nowicki
- Jan 22, 2018
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 6, 2018
©Minerva Studio
Picture this.
You’re walking down the #beauty aisle when you stumble upon an advertisement for wrinkle cream. To much of your surprise, the model in the ad actually has wrinkles … mind blowing, right?
Good news—this could be the future of advertising in the fashion and makeup industry. We know you're fed up with the fake images and flat out disrespect from our favorite brands. You want something real—a little bit, or even a lot of curves or wrinkles never hurt anybody, and since social media has become a new voice for the public, our demands are starting to be heard. According to Glamour, big companies like Asos, Target and Missguided refuse to alter their models and now, even more powerful companies, CVS being one of the largest, are embracing the initiative. Earlier this year, Helena Foulkes, President of CVS Pharmacy & Executive Vice President of CVS Health, commented on the change, stating,
"The connection between the propagation of unrealistic body images and negative health effects, especially in girls and young women, has been established. As a purpose-led company, we strive to do our best to assure all of the messages we are sending to our customers reflect our purpose of helping people on their path to better health."
It seems as more people express their concerns about the impact of deceiving ads, more companies are embracing their social responsibility to give us the truth. Late last year, the New York Post went into detail on a study that proved touched up photos showing flawless skin and skinnier bodies are ruining our self confidence. Researchers found that after 15 minutes of exposure to touched-up images, similar to what you see everyday, the participants pictured their ideal selves as thinner. Now imagine the consequences of seeing this everyday, since birth.
(This video is one of many from the Dove Evolution campaign. It quickly became an internet sensation, sparking controversy amongst viewers. It shows the extreme measures to create the so called "perfect" photo.)
So, we've identified the problem with advertisements; we know that companies are responding to our frustrations, but an important question to consider is, where does social media fall into this story? As Gary Vaynerchuck, storytelling king says, "Social media is like crack—immediately gratifying and hugely addictive" (Vaynerchuck). Everyone is obsessing over applications like Instagram and Facebook and businesses are jumping on the opportunity to use the social media world to market.
This should initiate some thought. How are businesses and even personal profiles connecting to their audience through these apps? Is it any better than what marketing geniuses or advertisers have done for decades? I'd argue that it's worse, especially because people think social media is real. Perfectly edited content that seems real is the perfect recipe for self hate and expectations that will never be reached.
To hear more about the shift from traditional advertisements to #socialmedia and its disastrous affects on our perceptions of reality, stop by my blog next week and subscribe!
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