Have you ever been flipping through a magazine and you come across an ad with a female model that makes you ask yourself this question: Is she a real woman or is that a mannequin? Sometimes female models look so perfect that it only seems that their perfection was created rather than natural. Seldom do advertisers use mannequins as models in print ads, but there is a lot of retouching, but why? If we all accept that no one is perfect why does advertising continue to create perfect images when we live in an imperfect world? I also noticed that the question of real .vs. mannequin is one that is more so an issue for women than men.
In general, women become objects of men’s sexual desire; advertising focuses on the female body. Women are placed in awkward positions to “show off the product”, but the exaggerated position the model gives more attention to her body than to the product. The world of modeling has set the standard for the ways female models pose, so the images we see aren’t new.
The question I ask is why can’t we be real? Models aren’t the only people buying the product; there are normal people, with normal jobs who buy Gucci clothing and Michael Kors perfume so why can’t the models be real people doing real activities with the product. People who buy Gucci aren’t usually at parties striking ridiculous poses or laying across couches with every inch of their hair in place lacking any emotion or expression in their faces. The absence of expression in a woman’s face takes away the realness and lifelines of the woman, which is how a mannequin looks.
The next time you’re flipping through a magazine and you come across an ad with a female model ask yourself, real or fake, woman or mannequin.
No comments:
Post a Comment