How does Advertising affect Body Image?

So let's talk about body image within advertising, shall we?

Okay, so this topic is something that's very close to many people's hearts in many ways. Advertising body image is one of those things in which everyone has an opinion, and an extremely strong opinion at that! 

It is commonly known that a majority of brands/products are presented on the 'idyllic' individual. It is something that is exceptionally pretentious, and goes against the idea that everyone is normal in their own skin. Although this idea is now being tackled alot more recently to promote equality, and union amongst mainly women. 

It has become the 'social norm' that all women should appear to look a certain way. The most common 'ideology' amongst women, is that we must all look a particular way. We view the most attractive women as pretty, fresh-faced, toned, slim with an hourglass figure, striking features.. crikey the list is endless! 

Below is an image that I regularly see floating around all over social media..

Yes. 

Young, slim, toned, attractive, proportioned, flawless women right?

So this is apparently what we're all aiming to look like one day, but in reality without an exceptional amount of money, we will never completely look identical to any of these women. And the issue here is that us women get downhearted because of it, when we shouldn't.

I guarantee if you asked a good amount of women to caption this on social media, their caption would be along the lines of 'Wish I looked like this' followed by a selection of sad emoji faces. I'm not dismissing the fact that I myself do not, or have not done this in the past- of course, I've used my fair share of sad emoji faces, captioning these particular types of women. I'm fairly certain, we've all done this at one point in our lives, or at least thought it!

It's humorous and somewhat irritating that we beat ourselves up about these images. When in reality, these women have most likely been airbrushed/photoshopped a heck of a lot, to receive this result. 

As you can see from the gifs above, that photoshop/airbrushing can be used to drastically change an individual's appearance. This is something that is known to infuriate the public, as it provides an unrealistic goal for those attempting to look a specific way. The public question that if someone doesn't physically look that way, then why promote an unrealistic result, when the model themselves look more 'alien' to what they originally were. This is something that is common amongst most women, as well as men! It's not just women that respond to this specific advertising of body image. Men are just as vocal about this issue as females!

Certain brands, (*cough* Abercrombie&Fitch *cough*),  do not hire people above a certain size. They also do not sell above the certain size that they promote. I looked at an article in which the CEO of the brand explained his reasons...

So according to our good friend Mike, people who don't look a particular way (the 'cool kids'), essentially can't wear their clothes. Wow- forgive me if I'm wrong here but that's abit far-fetched, I thought this was the 21st century? Equality obviously means an absolute 0 on the meter for him. Brands alike Abercrombie&Fitch are one of the main reasons for body shaming.

What's Body Shaming?

I'm sure you're familiar with the song "All about that Bass" by Meghan Trainor right?

What a controversy that stirred up right? After those lyrics were posted online, social media completely went berserk! According to Trainor's "Go ahead and tell them skinny bitches Hey", it's wrong to be skinny. But of course being social media, the WHOLE thing was blown way out of proportion. Body shaming was most likely at an all time high, with 'fat' people shaming 'skinny' people, and 'skinny' people shaming 'fat' people. It soon became clear that Trainor didn't actually mean anything by the whole thing. She was merely just stating she was a bigger girl.

So where did this even come from?

Advertising is the main route for body shaming. If someone doesn't look 'this' way, then they aren't considered attractive, beautiful or even normal, to someone who may look that particular way. We're in a society today, where we find it difficult to accept different looks/body types, which is quite sad really. We should all embrace our individual bodies.

Of course, everyone has their own personal flaws about their bodies, but that's just how it is. If we were completely 100% happy with ourselves, it would be somewhat boring. And if we all aspired to look like one another, again it would be boring. 

I don't know about some people but I absolutely LOVE that everyone is different and unique. I will be the first person to hold my hands up, and say that I am not happy with how I personally look. And I can admit that it does get me down sometimes, that I am not a particular size of clothing, or that I am exceptionally short that I resemble an elf. But then I think, as cheesy as it sounds, life is way too short to dwell on something so minor. If it's something that could be changed, why not change it. 

I feel like we need to continue embracing difference. At the end of the day, we're all human beings. We all have the same insides, we're just a little different on the outside-but who cares.

As a whole, society will always represent men and women in unrealistic goal-like aspirations, through magazines, tv etc. But let's not dismiss those that celebrate different bodies.

Dove launched a campaign featuring a variety of women with different body types, to promote their next product. It focussed around 'real' women, who are a more realistic approach to the average female. As well as different sizing, all women are of a different race, as well as body modifications. It just goes to show that Dove are appealing to a much wider audience through their television campaign, to promote equality throughout women.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with changing yourself, if you aren't happy. However the intentions for these changes, should be valid. If someone wants to lose a little weight to feel more healthier, why not? If someone wants to gain a bit of weight to be more healthier, why the heck not? I think if the intentions do not harm one's self, then why should they be judged for wanting to change. Change is sometimes good, and gives the confidence boost that one may need. I believe if you're healthy and happy in your own skin, then that should be more than enough.

I get disheartened, when I hear about so many people wishing to change for other people. If it benefits YOU, and it is YOUR choice that you're making, then it is YOUR decision to do as you please. 

We all need to be more comfortable in our own skin, and stop aspiring to be like those that we know we can never be. We also need to stop shaming others that are nothing like us. So what if they're a little bigger than you, or if they've got longer legs than you- focus on yourself!

Stop worrying that you've got a few stretch-marks, or that you've got a few wrinkles! It just goes to show you've lived a little and grown up, and it's completely natural!

Be nice to yourself, and you'll feel the benefit!