A study of the representation of women in magazine beauty advertisements, with close reference to Dove and Chanel.

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Alenka Manley

A study of the representation of women in magazine beauty advertisements, with close reference to Dove and Chanel

The extreme focus on beauty and desirability is very apparent in today’s media, with almost every beauty advertisement looking “perfect”. However, what some women fail to realise, is that these adverts have most definitely been re-touched, therefore making that level of beauty impossible to attain.  The media world that we live in constantly presents us with the perfect woman. Women sell everything from food, to cars, to music, but it is usually their bodies which really attract the audience. Popular film and television actresses are becoming younger, taller and thinner, putting even more pressure on today’s young girls. Women’s magazines are full of articles urging readers that they too can be thin and attractive. Standards of beauty are being imposed on women, when, in fact, the majority of women are naturally larger and older than any of the models we see. However, this perfect image ensures that the cosmetic and diet industry are constantly in profit, as the ideal is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish. Women compare themselves to other women, and compete with each other to gain male attention.

The ancient proverb, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is difficult for teenage girls and young women to grasp. Every day, they are faced with false images of perfection, whether it be on television, the internet or magazines. The media paints a clear picture of what society believes to be beautiful, and magazine beauty advertisements are the worst examples. These advertisements are usually about the appearance of the face, or the face and body. The image of the face is shot as a close-up, meaning that the model has to look flawless if the brand or company want the consumers to purchase their product. This thought-to-be perfect image of beauty is clearly heavily airbrushed, as the skin is blemish, line and shadow free, the lips are full, and the eyes are brightened with long, thick lashes. The face is manipulated by technology, clearly representing a false depiction of today’s real women.

Women’s magazines can be broken down into three types; all-age general (e.g. heat) over-eighteen glamour (e.g. Vogue) and teenage (e.g. Bliss). Women’s general magazines consist of famous people, clothing, babies and children, home improvement, food, diet, and exercise. Some may also include problem pages and travel sections. The over-eighteen glamour magazines usually follow the same formula; fashion and style, celebrities, beauty, travel and occasionally relationships with men. This type of magazine is popular with young girls, as they desire to live a lavish lifestyle, with some girls hailing them as “bibles”. Teenage girls’ magazines are similar to over-eighteen glamour, but with more of a focus on celebrities. They also contain music news, problem pages, boy issues and fashion.

Women’s magazines have faced criticisms for the importance attached to good looks. Every photograph is carved to accentuate sexual allure and is composed with awareness of men’s reaction.  Women put pressure on themselves to look like the super-skinny model, and the images seen in the magazines are seen as damaging to a women’s well-being. Women’s magazines are also criticised for promoting clothes which most women can never afford.

However, women’s magazines also have positive aspects. Some magazines put forward messages to encourage women to live their life. They are also praised for putting all the pieces of a female’s life into one, at the ease of the reader. Some magazines also encourage hobbies, such as knitting and DIY, and should be valued in the magazine industry.

Advertising is the most potent message in our culture. It is toxic for women and young girls’ self esteem, as it forms the basis of what we believe women should look like. Girls are desirable for advertisers, as they develop brand loyalty that can last a lifetime. The representations created within the adverts are completely unreal, in terms of conforming to social and male expectations. Young women are represented differently to middle aged women, as girls in their 20s have more appeal to target audiences for cosmetics brands. Women’s representations in the media revolve around the appearance of physical beauty, even though these images are extremely artificial in their portrayal.

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The way in which the media represent women is done in a particular way for a reason. The images produced form an ideal which is evidently unrealistic, so the companies and products are constantly in demand, “There are lots of young girls who are beautiful and spends lots of money on fashion, but they’re not thin enough to be in Vogue. We are promoting the fantasy to sell the products.” (Plum Sykes, Vogue Executive).  They are particularly vulnerable because they are new and inexperienced consumers, therefore being the target of many advertisers. The pressure on teenagers means they find it ...

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