Ellegirl Magazine, Essay Example

The advertisements in the December 2006 – January 2007 issue of ElleGirl Magazine(ElleGirl ) stress the values of individualism, activity, material wealth, beauty and fashion, progress and material comfort, technology and advancement and achievement. Sometimes these values are expressed very blatantly. For instance, the cover proudly encourages individualism when it urges its readers to “dare to be different.”

Yet other advertisers are more subtle in conveying their messages. For instance, one advertisement in the first pages of the magazine shows pictures of young men and women gathering together to build a snow man. There are no words spoken, so all the audience sees is a group of well dressed youths having a good time in the snow. But all the young people are well-dressed and active. They interact with each other in front of an expensive-looking porch and a classic sled. Valued by this advertiser, then, are material wealth, activity, and human relationships. It also stresses the importance of achievement – as part of what seems to make this group happy is the beautiful house and deck they are playing in front of(ElleGirl ). Indeed, the advertiser tries to sell his clothing by appealing to these values. Those wearing the advertiser’s clothing are happy, successful and able to enjoy traditional comforts.

Yet, ElleGirl’s advertisers run into value contradictions. While this ad features white, middle-class or perhaps rich young people in modest dress, enjoying traditions and the fruits of their achievement, the next ad features advertisements that focus on ethnocentricity. White culture has no place here. Instead, featured are a proud Latina and a young black couple. Rather than enjoying a traditional holiday, they are dressed in skimpy clothing and clad in gold chains. One woman sports a fur in a counterculture statement – as wearing fur – even sometimes faux fur – has become a bit taboo. The young people in this advertisement do not smile, but instead smirk. Relationships are not the focus. Fame, achievement and bold individualism are. The flashy suburban the three emerge from indicates that the advertiser values material wealth as well(ElleGirl ). The advertiser tries to sell his clothing here, by giving his brand a defiant, even shocking appearance. He hopes to appeal to those who value individualism and freedom, rather than traditionalism or cohesion.

L’Oreal Paris has advertisements in the next few pages of Ellegirl that focus both on material comfort and technological advancement. One advertisement, for instance, reads, “Technological Innovation!” and advertises a new breakthrough in straightening creams. It encourages individualism by telling girls to use L’Oreal products, “Because they’re worth it.” The advertisers here try to sell their product by making readers believe that their product is a deserved reward.

The clothing ads that litter the pages in between articles echo similar sentiments, showing smiling girls glad in brand name clothing and engaged in a plethora of activities. One, Jordache ad, for instance, combines the values of material wealth and activity or fitness by showing a girl in Jordache jeans riding a horse. This may also reflect the advertiser’s beliefs in the importance of achievement and success, as owning a horse is a luxury available only to those who have achieved some matter of success.  Another advertisement showcasing a belief in the importance of achievement is Ellegirl’s own advertisement telling girls how to get actress Emma Watson’s look. Watson’s achievements, in Ellegirl’s eyes, make her worthy of imitation. Therefore, the magazine tells girls, they should aspire to dress and do their makeup in the same manner(ElleGirl ). It then proceeds to sell them products that will help them achieve that look.

One of the most interest ads is the Secret ad which shows how much the values of material comfort and technological advancement are linked. “Tell us,” pleads the ad, “a gadget that you can’t live without.” The ad then proceeds to say that a world without gadgets would “stink as much” as a world without Secret’s deodorizing body spray. Another advertisement for “Ellevents” combines technology, activity and materialism in a similar way, telling girls that they can rock out and have their hair styled with Garnier products at Elle’s latest event. The focus here is mostly on material comfort, but activity and advanced new guitars are important as well. Ellegirl’s advertisers also give a nod to humanitarianism, though it is still combined with materialism. One advertisement declares that K-Mart makes holiday wishes come true and highlights a story of K-Mart giving one girl a chance to be a model for a day. But while doing so, the girl also shows off K-marts material goods(ElleGirl ).  Ellegirl’s advertisers seemed to follow a pattern that made readers believe they deserved material comfort and then proceeded to sell them a product that they “deserved.” The nature of the advertisements was almost certainly influenced by the fact that Ellegirl is a teen fashion magazine.

Works Cited

ElleGirl December 2006: 1-20.