Most stores around the world sell different magazines of all genres; from general celebrity magazines to specialist subjects such as golfing and model making. The one thing that all magazines have in common is that they are all financed through the adverts that they feature.
My favourite genre of magazine is "glossy" with titles such as Company and Cosmopolitan. I am an avid reader who purchases them religiously. These are aimed at young adults aged 16 to 21, they feature the normal interests of readers at this age: sex, friendships, relationship advice and ways to improve their lives. Recently, magazines such as these have come under fire for being to image conscious, by not showing more 'curvaceous' models, the public believe they are promoting an unhealthy image, and until a few weeks ago I had sided with the magazines that they are showing a healthy image of how young adults should look today.
Many of the adverts featured in my magazines are for the typical merchandise that the magazines target audience would be interested in: make up, perfume and other beauty products. A few weeks ago, I was flicking through the advertisement pages at the back of Cosmopolitan and was appalled at what I saw. There was a A4 sized advert promoting COSMETIC SURGERY. In a magazine aimed at readers who are as young as 16, they were promoting surgery; these magazines are a massive inspiration to many of there readers, by publicising this as an actual way to lose weight can they not see what they are promoting to viewers?
With the 'power' these magazines have over young adults, it should be promoting healthy eating, exercise and general well being- not this 'quick fix' attitude.
It would be bad enough if there was just one advert promoting this but there are many spread across 4 pages stating campaign lines such as
"The best thing I ever done" and "a new more affordable you"
This just added to my shock- affordable- so now the magazine is telling readers that they can have their dream bodies, if they're willing to pay a little extra for it.
I have grown up reading these magazines and, occasionally, dreamed of being as skinny and pretty as the models, so I understand the wanting; not just to look like these people but to have the "glamorous" lifestyle that surrounds them, by placing these adverts next to images of models it will really make the reader think about the surgery (which is, understandably, good advertising however it is still immoral in my opinion)
I have felt passionately for a long time that magazines such as these don't understand the power they have over their readers. I am particularly appalled by adverts such as these as it does not only affect the readers opinions of themselves (to be considering plastic surgery, they have to have low self esteem!) but also the way they view their lives. By magazines as influential as Cosmopolitan creating 'quick fix' methods to problems, how long is it till this rubs off on other areas of their lives? How long until they start to believe that there will always be an easier way then to generally work hard?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This blog shows a true account of what the writer believes. It puts across the emotions and beliefs of the writer well, and I thought it was a very good read.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with what you said, that the readers of the magazine are influenced by what they are advertising. My belief is that the Cosmetic Companies are a business, trying to do what every other business does - and thats creating a profit. BUT, I agree with what you are saying, that they shouldn't advertise to such young audiences.
Very interesting read.
Alex
This is a very well thought out opinion piece. People have aspirations, they have dreams, about material things and their own self. These kind of adverts challenge your own self belief and question your happiness about who you are and why you should or shouldn't be happy about yourself if you don't 'look right'.
ReplyDeleteWho is to say what is 'the right look'? Happiness is linked to healthiness but also self esteem and self image. Todays society, as you rightly said, is about 'quick fixes' rather than working for what you want.
A very good piece Sarah, enjoyable yet thought provoking and challenging.