Food for thought: The spy who sold out
Forgiving a pretty face
Facebook to agencies: how will people share your story?
Is “The Pitch” an accurate reflection of our industry?
How do you measure up to the models in the magazines?
If the question is increasingly on the mind of the public consciousness – and it seems to be – it’s also making its way onto the stages of public policy. And it may well have implications for the design industry.
Government and advertising standards groups are increasingly bringing up media’s role in shaping youth body image. They argue that children aren’t aware that most mainstream images of beauty have been “enhanced.” This creates unrealistic and unachievable ideals that they say lead kids to think if they starve themselves they can reach levels of thinness that equate to beauty.
French MPs are already fighting to have a law passed that requires warning labels to be added to retouched photos, much like the labels on Canadian cigarette packaging.
As if to fuel the zeitgeist, there’s been a recent uptick in leaked “unretouched” photos popping up on the Internet, one of the most famous being of Madonna. Celebrities from Britney Spears to Kim Kardashian are purposely leaking untouched photos of themselves. Why? Who knows. But perhaps they’re doing their bit to combat the harsh body image stereotypes they themselves have been so complicit in manufacturing.
Is it a brand’s responsibility to warn their consumers against the spectra of false body imagery? Or should it be a matter of regulation? Both?
Dave
June 22, 2010 @ 2:32 pm
Consumer tastes will ultimately shape the outcome of this complex issue. But I’d love to see more brands (and the people making decisions about those brands) making more courageous choices in what they choose to portray and celebrate as beauty. Unfortunately, many seem to fear that choosing to do so would lead to a competitive disadvantage among category rivals. So, while I’m surprised to find myself saying this, I’d actually like to see more regulation in the short term and ideally, an evolution of consumer tastes over time.
Hopefully the kind of transparency and dialogue ‘leaked’ images promote are signs that we are prepared to preempt the need for regulation. Fingers crossed.
Tweets that mention Can you buy beauty? « Big Orange Slide -- Topsy.com
June 22, 2010 @ 3:12 pm
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Jacob
June 22, 2010 @ 3:31 pm
http://i.imgur.com/YoB09.gif