Ads and Body Image in Society

Ads and Body Image in Society
By Mayelli Rocha
Society has created this idea of the “perfect image” that is perpetuated onto women in a multitude of ways. This stereotype includes women having to have an hourglass figure with a pretty face and no imperfections. This image is used by advertising companies to make women want to look like this archetype in order to be seen as beautiful. And in this same manner that idea of the perfect image creates insecurities in women. In turn it creates a cycle where women want to look like the images they see in media and advertisements. And in their minds this is achieved by the products advertised to them. This makes you want to buy the item being advertised because you believe that it will give you what you are lacking.

It has gotten to the point where there are products that bleach your skin to make it lighter to get the “western beauty”. The beauty industry messes with women’s mental health as they are being told that they are not good enough and need to change. This is why more women today have eating disorders and body image issues. With today’s advancements in technology and access to the internet children have greater access to social media. Girls are getting exposed to these stereotypes at even younger ages. Creating generations of women who learn these same archetypes of what women’s bodies should look like according to the rest of society.