This Indian ad, for Fair and Lovely Ayurvedic "natural fairness" cream, makes it clear that lighter skin is more beautiful. The woman can't get a job at first; notice how she is also dressed in a sari. After her father gets her some Fair and Lovely, we see the stages of her lightening. She then goes back to the store--now wearing Western-style business clothes, like the women who previously rejected her--and gets a job. She also attracts the attention of a light-skinned man. Next we see her new, glamorous life.
So light skin = modernity = beauty = success at work and in love.
Fair and Lovely also has a line of skin lighteners for men called Menz Active. The Fair and Lovely Foundation also awards college scholarships. And provides career advice.
Here's an interesting video where Indian Americans discuss skin tone and respond to the Fair and Lovely ad:
Random fact: the company that owns Fair and Lovely, Hindustan Unilever, is owned (the majority stake, anyway) by Unilever, owner of brands including Dove and Axe.
Thanks to Chris H. for sending this one in!
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Fair and Lovely Skin-Lightening Cream Ad
the social constructedness of social groups
The way in which we divide ourselves in society, the differences that we make salient, the social groups that we invent and label are all social constructions. What makes all things masculine hang together (beer, hunting, being a CEO, eschewing baths), except that they are all things we identify as masculine? What makes limited government and the Defense of Marriage Act seem related, except that we place them both on the right side of the political spectrum? And what makes brains the opposite of beauty, except our insistence that it is so?
The videos on this website for Edina Realty, sent to us by Stacy B., capitalize on our taken-for-granted beliefs about difference of several different kinds by pairing unlikely pairs. They might be useful for illustrating the existence of these divisions and starting a conversation about the social constructedness of social groups.
Here's two examples from youtube:
Thanks Stacy!
Axe Skin Contact Shower Gel Ad
I just saw the American version of this Axe ad (here in French) while watching Comedy Central:
This could be interesting for a discussion of how media portrayals imply that "hot" sex is extremely athletic and may include rough-housing or mild (or not-so-mild) violence.
The Reification Of Race
Toothpaste and tampons designed with your skin color "in mind." MultiCult Classics says:
OK, Pantene offers products designed with Black women in mind. But Crest, Always and Tampax?
Also, apparently the black that is beautiful is light-skinned, with supposedly "European" facial features. See also: black models that don't look black.UPDATE: In the comments, Brian asked what I mean by "reification." Thanks for the question, Brian! I mean "treating an abstraction as if it were real." And, yep, race isn't real. See racial categories as a historical artifact and check out this great website by the American Anthropological Association.
As I re-read... the contradiction between the two last paragraphs (black models that look white and there's no such thing as black and white) is awesomely reflective of the reality of its race and its simultaneous non-reality!
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Kids' Book on Cosmetic Surgery
This book, self-published by a cosmetic surgeon, is supposed to help kids understand the wonderful transformation their mothers are about to go through, with the help of Dr. Michael, the superhero-like surgeon.
Read more in this post at boingboing.
Thanks, Nick W., and Jason S., and Green Ink!
New Boobs, Half Price!
This ad reminds women that they need to get their bodies ready before Rehab--and no, not that kind of rehab; it's a big party being put on here in Vegas. Without new boobs, you simply won't be "ready"--i.e., attractive enough--for this event. This could be useful as a really extreme case of ads that try to make people feel inadequate and provide a solution in the form of a product or service.
And as far as I can tell, what you're supposed to be "ready" for is to be sexually available--she's pulling her bikini bottom down and has a seductive look on her face.
Also, notice the doctor is having a "buy one, get the second 1/2 off" special if you bring in a friend. So women should encourage each other to feel uncomfortable about their bodies.
From Las Vegas Weekly.
Touch of Gray Men's Hair Dye: For That Distinguished Look
Here is an image for the website from Just for Men's Touch of Gray line:
This product covers most, but not all, of a man's gray hair. From the website:
Why use Touch of Gray? A little gray to show your experience, but not so much
that it hides your vitality.
There are a range of shades available and you can control how much gray is hidden.
The website has a total of four images of men with women. As Vanessa V., who sent this one in, pointed out, none of the women have a "touch of gray." Nor could she imagine a product like this marketed to women.
Here is another example of an ad that gives men permission to age in a way women never are.
Other men's hair dye posts: here, here, and here.
Thanks, Vanessa!
White As Beautiful, Black As White
I use these truly amazing images to illustrate the way in which black women are expected to look white in order to qualify as beautiful. The images are powerful because the black models look almost identical to the white models, but also because they are ads for make-up. So the ads are literally selling beauty.
Lies In Advertising
The fact that botox can be marketed with the phrase "freedom of expression" testifies to fact that there is no need for advertising to include any truth whatsoever.
Text:
Don't hold back! Express it all! Express yourself by asking your
doctor about BOTOX Cosmetic. Millions of women already have.
Actually, I have repeatedly heard about how Botox makes it impossible for you to make facial expressions, but I didn't really get it. Now I think I do:
Make-Up And Beauty Regimes For Men
Thus far in American history, the fact that men have escaped an onslaught of advertising for beauty products is a triumph of gender ideology over capitalism. Companies, after all, could double their market if they could convince men that they, too, were unsightly without make-up.
If a company were to try to market make-up and beauty regimes to men, however, their smartest move might be to masculinize make-up. And, this is, indeed, what some companies are doing. Here are some products. Their design is interesting, but their names are the most fun. Some of them are subtle, others not so much.
Studio Five Sport and Sun Tone Enhancer (or, as the ladies say, blush):
Male Species Power Face Mask (when you need a power face to go with your power tie):
4VOO Distinct Man Confidence Corrector (because you're going to need confidence when you go on your mission):
Ener-C After Shave Mission Balm (Is the shave itself a mission or are you going on a mission after you shave? And, is it impossible?):
Ken Men Battle Scars Healing Anti-Inflammatory Repair Cream (I guess you need this post mission):
Studio 5ive Double Stroke Cream Mascara (get it?):
Ken Men Cream Me Face Base (oh come on!):
Ken Men Blo-Job Bronzing Powder (you've got to be kidding!):
Also interesting is the Aveda marketing for hair and skin products aimed at men.
The products are called Pure-formance:
Notice the scruffiness of the men in the images, the dark blue-grey-black colors, and the use of nature. Below you can see the design of the products: brown, orange, grey, and sage colors with angular shapes (on a blue background, of course).
The first two paragraphs of text:
It's a biological fact: men are different. Their scalps are thicker than women's and on average produce twice the level of oil. This can make men more prone to sensitivity, dryness, itchiness, irritation and redness.
The Aveda Men collection is tailored to men's essential need for high-performance scalp and hair management that's easy to use.
So men are different than women. This is simply biology. They are more: "thicker" and "twice." And, of course, no matter what it is, it must be "high-performance."
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Gaultier Perfume Bottles Shaped Like Bodies
The first two are from the Gaultier Classique line. The third image is called Le Male. The final image is Fleur Du Male. You can see other examples of the women's line here.
Free Fake Breasts
Check out MyFreeImplants.com, which asks:
Ladies... Have you ever wanted bigger breasts? But couldn't afford the expensive costs of surgery? Here is your opportunity to earn Free Breast Implants!
The women get free implants by getting "donations" from male "benefactors":As a member of the MyFreeImplants website you have direct access to contact the many girls that are seeking help in achieving the physical appearance that they have long desired.
Once you create your account you can choose to buy message credits in several denominations. When you use your credits to send messages to the ladies they earn credit towards their procedures. You can buy credits for as low as $1.20. In addition, you have the option to signup for a monthly membership that gives you 5 message credits per month along with unrestricted access to over 1000 ladies profiles.
And:
... the best part is seeing the newly transformed ladies after the surgery when they return to the website to post pictures of the results. You can take pride in knowing that you helped her improve her self esteem and self image!Don't worry, though--the men have to be respectful:
We request that you be respectful of the ladies on this website. While you may request particular outfits for custom photos, the ultimate decision is up to the lady. We encourage you to both work together in a civil manner so that everyone is happy. Abuse of the system or harrassment of any member will not be tolerated.
And since people like to see the results of their donations, the site provides before and after pics:
Asian Eyelid Cosmetic Surgery
Here is a link to the website of Dr. Frank Meronk, a plastic surgeon. This particular page showcases the Asian eyelid surgeries the doctor has performed. Here are some before-and-after photos:
And another set:
The website also has some interesting commentary on why Asians should get this surgery:
Irrespective of ethnicity, an upper eyelid is typically considered more
attractive by most people if it lacks excessive skin and fat, possesses a
reasonably defined crease (which makes the eye appear bigger--a universal signal
of youth and attention), and displays at least some platform of exposed skin
between the crease and the eyelashes (which, in ladies, allows for a more
effective application of makeup). A well-contoured lower eyelid free of bulging
fat projects an image of youth, energy, and rest. While all so-called
"standards" of physical beauty are culturally variable and dependent upon the
eye of the beholder, most experienced eyelid surgeons agree that the qualities
noted here are generally appreciated across many diverse cultures and not solely
a matter of Western bias.
There are a couple of particularly note-worthy points here--the argument that a particular eyelid shape is just universally more attractive (a fact attested to by "experienced eyelid surgeons," who would clearly be objective), and that it's worth undergoing surgery to be able to wear makeup more "effectively," whatever that means.
And don't worry--they can do this surgery on you even if you're of "mixed heritage"!
Luckily, patients don't wait until they start aging to take care of their eyelids:
In general, patients seeking double eyelid surgery to create or enhance a weak
crease are not just young but often very young. Aging
tendencies have not yet made an appearance.
Don't worry, men can have the surgery too.
SlimQuick Ad: Men are "Fat and Happy," Women Are Just Fat
This is an ad for a diet pill called SlimQuick:
Mock Magazine Covers (And One Ad)
I thought these might be useful for making explicit some current cultural trends--I think things like the focus on pregnant celebrities' bodies are more obviously absurd when they're made so apparent.
Making fun of our obsession with celebrity pregnancies:
What the male version of a teen mag might look like:
Sexual Overtones in Cologne Ad.
This is an ad for Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. line's cologne. The text next to her face says, "I want you all over me." I'll leave it to you to decide if the look of ecstasy on her face and the droplets showering her body imply she's being sprayed with anything other than water.
I found this ad in Entertainment Weekly.
The Ideal Body In 2001?
This is Julia Roberts winning the Oscar for best actress. It was 2001. Notice that, despite the fact that she won for her portrayal of a very highly sexualized woman, she isn't a stick figure. In fact, relative to the twigs of today, she is actually kind of thick and has pretty big arms. Could a woman could go to the Oscars looking like this today and not get called fat in the tabloids?
Production, Consumption, And Reproduction
This post is dedicated to my pregnant friends. You should buy this t-shirt.
In class this week my students and I are talking about the triple threat of production, consumption, and reproduction that characterizes modern capitalism. I use the cultural imperative that women have and raise babies (reproduction) and be beautiful and sexy while doing it (consumption), all of which is paid for by someone who is busy earning money at a job (production). Below are some of the images I use.
Be beautiful while pregnant (images from A Pea in the Pod and covergirls Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera):
Running in high heels while in the third trimester? Why, of course!
Get your body back as soon as possible (as demonstrated by Gwen Stefani and Tori Spelling):
If you're not sure how, buy some books (all the better)!
Resort to suspicious drugs if you need to:
Or get a Mommy Makeover. Extensive cosmetic surgery, that is:
Recommended by Parenting Magazine!
