We know that every advertisement we see has been airbrushed and touched up. We know that even though the ad is there to advertise the product and show us what the product can do, the results we are seeing are most likely fake from digital enhancements. We know that there is really no way to get what that girl in the picture has, even if I do buy the product. And maybe I shouldn’t say we but instead I. I know these things. Do you?
When I am checking out at the grocery store and am surrounded by magazines, or when I see a commercial on TV, I am known to say something about how what we are looking at isn’t real. Those women have been digital enhanced, airbrushed, and who knows what else to present the ‘perfect’ yet unattainable picture, planting false beliefs and unrealistic expectations of what women should look like.
I don’t hold back my comments depending on who I am with, guys get it just as much as my little sister. The part that surprises me is that after I remind them that all the pictures they are looking at are fake, not real, airbrushed and digitally enhanced they will often say “really?” Or “all of them?” Or even, “No! I am sure she really looks like that.” This tells me that even though I have dived into the world of digital enhancements to learn what the truth is, not everyone has and these advertisements continue to plant the lie that what they are seeing is the expectation of what a woman should look like.
I believe becoming educated about advertising and their dirty little tricks is empowering to women. I know it helps me. It helps me when I can tell myself...she doesn’t really look like that. She does have some wrinkles and it’s OK that I have wrinkles. Wrinkles are natural. Most of the articles I read on this subject are aimed at the consumer, educating the consumer on what goes on in the advertising world. Well I think that something needs to change on the advertising end. How far can they take this manipulation of the female body before we say enough is enough?
Shine’s recent article, L’Oreal ads for Julia Roberts and Christy Turlington banned for airbrushing, explains that two different L’Oreal ads were banned by The British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after L’Oreal was unable to provide un-airbrushed shots. Advertising Standards Authority chief executive, Guy Parker said, “Advertisers must be able to provide appropriate material to us to demonstrate what retouching they’ve done in the even we question them, and mustn’t mislead. In this event, L’Oreal didn’t provide us with the evidence so we were left with no choice but to uphold the complaint.” Or in others words, the advertisement was banned from the UK.
Can you even imagine what it would be like if advertisers actually had to show us exactly what we would be getting from their product in their advertisements? I can’t quite picture that world yet, but I would like to see some of these advertisements getting banned in the US. One step at a time.
In the article they also discussed that the reason L’Oreal could not provide un-airbrushed pictures was because in Julia Roberts’ contract it stated that no un-airbrushed picture shots can be released. Now I have no idea who wrote this contract, maybe L’Oreal and maybe Julia Robert’s agent. Who knows? And I doubt I would be able to guess the true intent behind either party adding this statement to the contract. But I do hope that it isn’t because Julia Roberts doesn’t want to show people what she really looks like. Can you imagine? One of the most recognizable faces doesn’t want people to see who she really is? I can’t say I blame her. If I were in her shoes, and pictures could be found everywhere of me with flawless skin (still fake, but flawless none the less), I can’t say I wouldn’t want the ‘truth’ to get out, and disappoint so many people who think I really looked like that. The truth is I think Julia Roberts is beautiful, but not for her fake flawless skin. I think her smile is beautiful. I think her laugh is beautiful. And I think the way she radiates is beautiful.
