What would life be like if society did not brainwash people’s minds to believe they are not good enough, or convince them that they must transform their appearance to meet society’s expectations? Imagine living in a world where appearance and quality were respected and when one looks into the mirror, they admired what their reflection said back to them. The only issue is, that tends to be difficult living in this day and age. There’s a song by The Goo Goo Dolls called “So Alive” that provokes a powerful message I will forever carry on. The lyrics states, “staring down the hole inside me, looking in the mirror making peace with the enemy.” The Goo Goo Dolls are transparent about the message they are portraying to the public. That message being we are our biggest critic. In order to create peace within, our greatest responability is to love oneself. The perception of beauty has been conveyed a specific way to the public through digital media. The effects advertisements have on individuals is a common issue in today’s society. In most magazines and social media posts, model’s beauty and body image are crucial components that affect consumers mental and physical health. Body image and self-love is tarnished through marketing strategies because society wishes for things they don’t have. A vast majority of people, especially females, look up to models conveyed throughout advertisements. Furthermore, they set the precedent of what the social norm of beauty should be perceived as. Creating an environment full of pressure, media users feel obligated to live up to this expectation of how to look, feel, eat, exercise, dress, ect.
For example, Instagram influences such as: Kendall Jenner creates this potential expectation that all females should look like her in certain pieces of clothing or after applying a product of name brand makeup. Even male influences such as Ian Somerhalder, are placed in a position to convey the message that consumers should look the way he does after purchasing a promoted product. This then leads a majority of people to feel discouraged to buy that product. A prominent example of a company that markets all body types, ethnicity, and race is Fabletics. Fabletics is an American online subscription retailer that sells women’s sportswear, footwear, and accessories. The company uses e-commerce by conveying the message that every consumer should feel welcomed and confident in wearing Fabletics products. An example of a company that does the opposite would be Urban Outfitters. Don’t get me wrong, I love this store with all my heart, but the point I’m trying to make correlates to this store’s marketing strategies very well. Although Urban Outfitters includes both gender, ethnicity, and race the company lacks in incorporating other body types other than a size double zero for females and a fit figure for males.
Again, the way companies market their perception of beauty can take a toll on both male and females mental health. Personally, I think it’s crucial to expand the market by promoting all body types through media platforms, magazines, commercials, ect. This issue has been addressed and other companies have been promoting various forms of beauty, but as a society we need to take a step further in doing so. Recently in class I was asked to define beauty. It took me some time to gather my thoughts. I came to the conclusion that beauty is subjective. Everyone on this planet portrays beauty in their own unique way. Not necessarily what is perceived on the outside, but what you carry within. This Hawk Chill post is a reminder that self love is crucial for every individual. With that being said, companies can create a more accepting environment if they included all shapes and sizes while promoting products throughout advertisements.
