The Pitfall Of The Insensitive :: essays research papers

Still Killing us Softly by Jean Kilbourne gives us prime examples of how the media tries to influence the way we see our society. The advertisement examples that she gives show how they portray the ideal woman as young, thin and beautiful, as well as making all men to look like powerful and insensitive animals (which they aren't). Both of the distortions use pathos as their persuasive devises by evoking emotion in the consumers to cause them to buy their product.In almost all advertisements with the exception of Depends and Polydent, all the models are probably not over twenty-five. This may have worked in the 1930's when, according the American Academy of Anti-Aging, the life expectancy was thirty-five. However, that is not the case today, when the average person living in America is predicted to live to 85. The media is entirely misrepresenting the average person just to make it look as if you use their product; your age will be preserved. This causes many consumers to become dishe artened and want to look younger.Another marketing strategy is to use models that are tall and slender. By doing this in clothing ads they lure the consumer into thinking that it is the clothes that are making them look that perfect, when actually, it's for the most part camera tricks and a lot of starvation. Advertisers often use fear tactics, or slippery slope to scare the women into thinking that their product is the only thing keeping them from being overweight. Most often these cases are found in weight loss pills and appetite suppressants that show before and after pictures of someone who has successfully used their product.Have you ever seen a model in an ad for beauty products or a clothing store that was not completely gorgeous? It makes pretty good sense doesn't it? Who would want to buy clothing worn by plain or even ugly people? I find myself falling into this superficial trap every time I look at the circulars in the Sunday paper. I want to look as perfect as they do, a nd sometimes think that by wearing their clothes, my looks will improve. However it does not take me long to realize how ridiculous I sound. Women buy cosmetics for the same reason, to improve their looks, plain and simple. They want a product that brings out their features and accentuates their beauty.