Being Yourself and Not "Madison Avenue"

It is amazing to find how strongly advertisers and society in general tout their products. I am using this time to examine the effects of advertising in both commercial and print. How the media affects our self-esteem, the increase of violence against women and children, and whether advertisers add to our own demise, in spiritual growth, financial, and in being safe. Everybody wants what the "Jones's" (your neighbor, a co-worker, etc.) has, they want the flashy look of Madison Avenue where the rich tout their money and the women in their thinness are painted to look healthy. Before this assignment, I would glance through my monthly issue of Cosmopolitan and not notice how the advertisements kill my self-esteem.

We have small boobs and need to change them(see ad for Be Your Best), we are obese and need a special pill or potion, to selling us a car to make us look sexy to the opposite sex(Toyota Rav4.) In addition, if that is not enough, they tell us our children are obese and they need a pill or a potion too. (See ad for Pedia Loss.) Avon has a new formula called Cellu-Sculpt. that takes "...an inch off your thighs in four weeks." And Botox Cosmetics sell toxins to make you look young into late life, "We promised to grow old together, not look old together." The ad shows an attractive pair, and he can clearly get his arms around her as he snuggles her close. Ads for products like Metabo-Life, Zantrex-3, Chinese Diet Tea, and Triple Lean-3 claim to help you lose weight and keep your energy. Moreover, there are even formulas to help you perform in the bedroom like Fabulously Female or Masculine Male, found in advertisements though mass medial like Cosmopolitan, as if a...