New Beginnings

I think like everything, change will eventually come. It is very promising because although we do still see many of the advertisements that are negative portrayals of women, there are companies that are moving towards a better portrayal. For example, Dove which has been recently noted for being one of the few companies who are striving to empower women. Dove strives to embrace women and all of their beauty in different colors and sizes. As a woman seeing ads with women in their underwear posing for an ad, beauty radiating from their pores is such a beautiful sight. I can associate with these women. I showed my boyfriend these ads of the "Dove Women" and he said wow finally women who look normal. He said these looked beautiful and real. It was great hearing a man appreciate women who don't look like sticks. After all many of those women models are airbrushed to look slimmer. They are made to look "ideal." What is the female body shape? I have high hopes that we can move from a place of degrading women in all forms of media to a better tomorrow. I was beyond disturbed and disgusted when I came across this ad of a pregnant women trying to sell non-alcoholic beer. I mean seriously??? It doesn't really matter if its non-alcoholic or alcohol. Regardless it bothers me. Dove's campaign is called, "Campaign for Real Beauty" everyone should take a minute to read through their mission and what they stand for and their hopes for the future of our women. Kilbourne says, "The aspect of advertising most in need of analysis and change is the portrayal of women. Scientific studies and the most casual viewing yield the same conclusion: Women are shown almost exclusively as housewives or sex objects." "All beautiful women in advertisements, regardless of product or audience, conform to this norm." I like how Kilbourne states that even the natural looks requires work. The first steps come from within each one of us. This ad from "Saucony" by far has to be the best ad I have come across recently. I went to the extent of printing it out and hanging it on my wall!!!!! Change will come!