User:Allisoncoulson1/sandbox

FINAL DRAFT: Gender and Advertisement
 * The italicized text was already in the existing article. I wanted to insert it into my new paragraph so that the article made more sense as a whole

Body Image Body image refers to the way that someone views themselves. Specifically, body image refers to how a person feels about their outward appearance. This can range from satisfied to dissatisfied. When it comes to body image in relation to advertising, social comparison theory is often referenced. Social comparison theory revolves around the idea that since people do not have an objective standard in which to compare themselves to, they will compare themselves to what they see in the media. ''The average teenager in the U.S. consumes 3–4 hours of television a day. With 30% of local television being advertisements, many adolescents are consuming about 100 or more advertisements a day.[38]In the United States, the average female model is a size 0 or 00 and is between the age of 14 and 19 years of age while the average woman living in the U.S. wears sizes 12-14.[39]'' This gap between the models and consumers is problematic because not only are consumers are comparing themselves to models who have body types that are genetically unattainable for much of the population, but they’re also more likely than not, digitally enhanced with the use of photoshop. With this combination, women are being exposed to (and therefore comparing themselves to) an ideal that is impossible to achieve. This comparison can result in poor body image, disordered eating, and lower self-esteem.

In more recent years, there has been a shift in marketing strategies for some companies. There has been a movement geared towards promoting body positivity. Contrary to the argument that “skinny sells”, studies have shown that when advertisements feature models that are considered to be average in size, they are just as effective as advertisements featuring smaller models. This has been found when discussing advertisements featuring both men and women. Companies such as Dove and Aerie have run campaigns that emphasize their use of “regular” sized models. They also promote the lack of digitally retouching their models in their advertisements. Ideally, this would decrease some of the negative effects that advertising has on women. However, a recent study found that there was little to no difference in the effects that these “natural” pictures had on women than those that had been digitally enhanced. These untouched photos still depict women who are on the smaller side of average. Another suggestion that has been made in hopes of improving consumer’s body image is to create warning labels on advertisements. The label would let the consumer know that the content had been digitally altered. Studies that have looked into the effectiveness of warning labels on advertisements have shown that these labels are essentially ineffective.

Women aren’t the only ones whose body image is affected by advertising. Studies show that men who are subjected to advertisements featuring not only the “male ideal” show lower levels of body esteem and satisfaction. While women tend to focus on being thin, the male focus tends to rest on being muscular. In one study, participants had the opportunity to create the “ideal male build”. Participants chose a muscle mass of 28 pounds more than that of the average male. When it came to fat percentage, the selected ideal for men matched that of the average man. While there are differences in the gender ideals that are presented in the media, oftentimes, exposure to advertisements leads to the same results in both genders –body dissatisfaction.

Bibliography

Convertino, A., Rodgers, R., Franko, D., & Jodoin, A. (2016). An evaluation of the Aerie Real campaign: Potential for promoting positive body image?. Journal Of Health Psychology, 135910531668002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/135910531668002

Diedrichs, P., & Lee, C. (2010). GI Joe or Average Joe? The impact of average-size and muscular male fashion models on men's and women's body image and advertisement effectiveness. Body Image, 7(3), 218-226. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2010.03.004

Frederick, D., Sandhu, G., Scott, T., & Akbari, Y. (2016). Reducing the negative effects of media exposure on body image: Testing the effectiveness of subvertising and disclaimer labels. Body Image, 17, 171-174. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.03.009

Hogg, M., Bruce, M., & Hough, K. (1999). Female images in advertising: the implications of social comparison for marketing. International Journal Of Advertising, 18(4), 445-473. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02650487.1999.11104773

Jung, J. (2006). Media Influence: Pre- and Postexposure of College Women to Media Images and the Effect of Mood and Body Image. Clothing And Textiles Research Journal, 24(4), 335-344. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0887302x06293066

Keating, J. (2009). Picture (Im)perfect. Foreign Policy, (170), 93.

Lorenzen, L., Grieve, F., & Thomas, A. (2004). Brief Report: Exposure to Muscular Male Models Decreases Men's Body Satisfaction. Sex Roles, 51(11-12), 743-748. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11199-004-0723-0

Wilson, N., & Blackhurst, A. (1999). Food Advertising and Eating Disorders: Marketing Body Dissatisfaction, the Drive for Thinness, and Dieting in Women's Magazines. The Journal Of Humanistic Counseling, Education And Development, 38(2), 111-112. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.2164-490x.1999.tb00069.x