In an economy with free markets, consumers are often bombarded with advertisements of possible purchases. The products often seem to be displayed in a utopian world as if they make their affect perfection instantaneously. Often times, companies use men and women who are images of perfection. In fact Susan Bordo points out the use of captivating buyers with images of men who resembled attributes of perfection, such as fitness and youth, in her essay “Beauty (Re)discovers The Male Body.” The projection of instant perfection to consumers allows the consumer to believe that they may achieve the image projected within the ad if they buy the product displayed. Furthermore, Susan Bordo describes the marketing tactic of exploiting one’s vulnerabilities
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The consumer often finds themselves, consciously or not, at the will of corporations who sell them items depicted to enhance their life, well-being, or physical appearance, even though the product propels an unrealistic depiction of a utopian lifestyle, that is not mortally capable. For instance, Cheerios makes the claim to reduce cholesterol, however the FDA notes that the cereal misleads consumers because “Cheerios® Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal is promoted for conditions that cause it to be a drug because the product is intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease.” The example that a cereal could be a substitute for a drug that treats serious heart conditions shows how far companies will overhype their product to make money, even to the point where a federal institution has to warn them that they risk consumers’ health by projecting their cereal as a drug. This ultimately hurts people of lower incomes who choose the lower cost of cereal in comparison to medicine because they believe that it has the same effect when it in fact does not. Furthermore, not only do normal consumers find themselves at the mercy of corporations that sell the idea of perfection attached to their products, consumers of a lower class find themselves disproportionately at the mercy of the negative …show more content…
The use of average, everyday people with the product being sold would not only not put the consumer in a state of mental decline, but it would also sell the product in a more relatable way. The idea that products are required to be sold under the guise of perfection, that only creates an appetite for perfection that may not even come from what is being sold, is outdated and inhuman to the consumer. Marketing products without creating this void of perfectionism will lead to a more cohesive and productive society as consumers are not obsessed with the newest fad or trend, but rather focused on what is sustainable to them rather than trying to achieve a false ideal of being flawless. Evidently the projection of average consumers within advertisement allows the buyer to see that they are in fact ideal, flaws included. In fact, in the study “Is Plus Size Equal?” it concurs “the results indicated that women reported the greatest body satisfaction and the least amount of social comparisons when viewing plus size models.” This demonstrates that women do not feel ashamed of their body and as though they need to modify themselves to be perfect when viewing advertisements. Therefore, the marketplace has begun take appropriate action by starting to sell
The consumer often finds themselves, consciously or not, at the will of corporations who sell them items depicted to enhance their life, well-being, or physical appearance, even though the product propels an unrealistic depiction of a utopian lifestyle, that is not mortally capable. For instance, Cheerios makes the claim to reduce cholesterol, however the FDA notes that the cereal misleads consumers because “Cheerios® Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal is promoted for conditions that cause it to be a drug because the product is intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease.” The example that a cereal could be a substitute for a drug that treats serious heart conditions shows how far companies will overhype their product to make money, even to the point where a federal institution has to warn them that they risk consumers’ health by projecting their cereal as a drug. This ultimately hurts people of lower incomes who choose the lower cost of cereal in comparison to medicine because they believe that it has the same effect when it in fact does not. Furthermore, not only do normal consumers find themselves at the mercy of corporations that sell the idea of perfection attached to their products, consumers of a lower class find themselves disproportionately at the mercy of the negative …show more content…
The use of average, everyday people with the product being sold would not only not put the consumer in a state of mental decline, but it would also sell the product in a more relatable way. The idea that products are required to be sold under the guise of perfection, that only creates an appetite for perfection that may not even come from what is being sold, is outdated and inhuman to the consumer. Marketing products without creating this void of perfectionism will lead to a more cohesive and productive society as consumers are not obsessed with the newest fad or trend, but rather focused on what is sustainable to them rather than trying to achieve a false ideal of being flawless. Evidently the projection of average consumers within advertisement allows the buyer to see that they are in fact ideal, flaws included. In fact, in the study “Is Plus Size Equal?” it concurs “the results indicated that women reported the greatest body satisfaction and the least amount of social comparisons when viewing plus size models.” This demonstrates that women do not feel ashamed of their body and as though they need to modify themselves to be perfect when viewing advertisements. Therefore, the marketplace has begun take appropriate action by starting to sell