Comments on: The twisted reality of fashion advertising

By: Brianna

Brianna — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 00:33:09 +0000

Alicia- i think the difference (while its still ridiculous) is who the product is for. axe is marketed for men, who aren’t as concerned with how a woman got to looking hott as long as she is (which of course affects their perception of normal women…but still) dove is marketed to women..who know that the image the models present is rather unattainable- but we still try. I believe they are assuming that women will not be striving to look like the women in the axe commercials, rather they are striving to look like the women advertising the products they use- makeup, etc.

By: Ibrahim

Ibrahim — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:25:28 +0000

I really enjoyed this video. I’ve always been an advocate against what the fashion industry aims to do to women’s self-esteem. Beauty doesn’t take a lot of money or expensive clothes or cosmetics. For most of us regular guys, we just wan’t a girl that takes care of herself and aims to look her best…

That’s why I’m starting my new lifestyle site, TwentiesLife. It’s an aim to give real life advice to people in their twenties about how to create a sustainable lifestyle of culture and class.

By: Alicia

Alicia — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:27:01 +0000

I know this is a really old entry, but I find it slightly amusing that Dove is owned by Unilever, the same company that takes care of products like Axe. However, in Axe ads, they have no issue pushing the ideal of the over photoshopped dame. I think it proves that Unilever is only being honest about these sorts of design practises and promoting “real women” when it turns into profit for them.

By: Julia

Julia — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 09:26:54 +0000

cmon.. people should have some goals to follow – when they see nice looking people on tv, they start jogging and going to gym, take care about the skin etc. have a look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-kSZsvBY-A
;)

By: Lelia Katherine Thomas

Lelia Katherine Thomas — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 10:02:21 +0000

I wrote about this and one other Dove video here, as this sort of stuff is something I’m really passionate about, too. The media is so powerful over young people and even some (many?) adults. It’s not that I think it should be regulated to death, but we should be educated in its nature, and girls should not be led to feel insecure about themselves due to things like this.

That said, I’d like to express my personal frustration as a 20-year-old young woman who has always been a “string bean.” To this day, I weigh only 47kg/103lbs. and am 5’7/170cm. I’m fine with that. I’m happy with the way I am, and I am unbelievably healthy. I’ve just always been skinny, because of my metabolism. My mother was/is the same way.

Yet because [some] of the media have taken up the flag to talk about anorexia and bulimia, I now have people thinking that about me. I cannot say how heartbreaking that is for me–to be accused of an illness that I don’t have. An illness that anyone who knows me knows I don’t have (hell, I love food too much to go on a diet). But most people judge very quickly.

Ironically, while the majority gets tetchy, saying “those skinny models aren’t REAL women,” I end up in the crossfire, just for being who I am.

So I’m urging you and others to be careful of who you think does have a problem, because some of us truly are just, well, small. Women come in all different shapes and sizes, including plus and pencil! I wish the world would stop trying to demonize and call one or the other, or both, abnormal. There are people with problems, but there are even more who are just normal–but in their own way.

By: Romeo

Romeo — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 06:39:37 +0000

I must admit that allthought I work in this Industry and see things like that every day, as a designer and as a photographer, the film was shocking enought as it is.

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Further more this is my first time writing to your blog and I have also subscribed. You have made some very nice work here mate. Keep it up.

By: Hans

Hans — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 09:39:23 +0000

Thanks for sharing… I had a similar video relating celebs and anorexia :(

By: Dinner

Dinner — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 21:01:12 +0000

Fashion doesn’t really affect me at all, except that I hate it. So many stupid things are “fashionable” and people don’t realize (or don’t care) about what it is actually doing to people (in terms of eating disorders).

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 20:37:33 +0000

The whole ‘industry’ of fashion, diets, womens magazines etc. is just plain sick.

I just wish so many people didn’t fall for it.

By: David Airey

David Airey — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 15:43:03 +0000

Drew, great addition. Thanks for that.

I hope your daughters find the commercial interesting, Bret. You’re very welcome.

Barry, never propose before waking-up beside your partner.