Media and Cosmetic Companies, Research Paper Example

Media and Cosmetic Companies Promote Unrealistic Perceptions of Women

Kant said that the judgment of beauty is different from cognitive or moral judgment because it is subjective. In the Victorian society, a woman was expected to keep herself looking beautiful (Wood). When we say that women have greater rights now, we are often thinking about the education and professional opportunities available to women in America, areas in which we have indeed made a significant progress over the last few decades. But we still have a lot of work to do towards de-emphasizing the importance of external appearance for women, a problem that has only become worse due to the media and the new digital age. A survey published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology in 1983 revealed that the participants not only gave more positive response to more attractive women but also recommended higher salaries for them (Wood). In America, the media and the cosmetic companies continue to promote unrealistic perceptions of beauty as well as the idea that external appearance is important for women and achievable by everyone.

Cosmetics brands understand the marketing power of celebrities that’s why they do not hesitate to sign them as their official brand faces. Brands try to take advantage of the fans’ emotional connection with the celebrities they admire or aspire to imitate (Passikoff). A major cosmetics brand CoverGirl signed up country singer Taylor Swift as a new spokesperson last year. The company already had contracts with celebrities such as Rihanna and Drew Barrymore in place (People, 2010). Celebrities like Taylor Swift and Rihanna have huge followings among young girls and, thus, help attract young customers to the company’s cosmetic lines. Some young girls take the celebrities’ endorsements as a hint that it is ok to use cosmetics to look beautiful because this is how celebrities look beautiful. Actress Kate Hudson is signed to Almay Cosmetics as a Global Brand Ambassador (InStyle, 2010) and promotes the company’s products including the hypoallergenic makeup line. The hypoallergenic label may mislead the young girls in believing that it is safe when in most cases it may really not be. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emphasizes that no federal standards or regulations exist that govern the use of the term ‘hypoallergenic’. The FDA Office of Cosmetics and Colors Fact Sheet reports that the ingredients used to make cosmetic products are basically the same throughout the country (WebMD). Similarly, Reese Witherspoon represents Avon which is another major cosmetics company and benefits from Ms. Witherspoon’s A-list celebrity status. But at the same time, Avon’s relationship with Ms. Witherspoon also has positive aspects since Ms. Witherspoon has participated in company sponsored charity events such as Avon Walk for Breast Cancer (JustJared, 2011).

Ads depicting celebrities’ picture perfect faces imply that it is possible to have a flawless face through the use of cosmetic products. They are instrumental in putting social pressure on the young girls and women to look perfect because these media images help shape the society’s expectations over time. We all have heard of or read about young girls going on a diet after seeing pictures of size-zero models. Even when the young girls are perfectly healthy, they perceive the size-zero models as the society’s standard of beauty and start measuring themselves on the same criteria. Similarly, ads with celebrities having flawless faces even though photoshopped, convince the young girls that imperfections are not welcome in the society. In addition, ads also send the message that there is no excuse for not having flawless looks because cosmetic products can help them achieve that.

A quick research on popular entertainment websites such as YouTube will reveal thousands of make-up tutorial videos showing ordinary looking women being transformed into flawless models. But what is not being communicated to the viewers are the side effects of the cosmetic products such as skin rashes, increased exposure to sun since exfoliants and skin-peels remove the outermost protective layer of the skin, and the fact that many cosmetics contain chemicals that are either carcinogens or untested for their effect on human health (NOVA). While the media spends a great deal of time and efforts in trying to establish the standards of beauty, rarely anyone has tried to promote fact that flawlessness is a subjective idea. Numerous celebrities that enjoy high marks for their beauty have rarely anything in common between them. For e.g. Taylor Swift and Beyonce Knowles could not have been more different from each other.

Fortunately, there is good news as well. A research conducted by the University of Bath and the University of Gallen in Switzerland found that advertisements featuring global stars are less likely to entice than ones showing ordinary people (Prance, 2007). Federal Trade Commission (FTC) presented a proposal in 2008 to better protect customers against celebrity testimonials in ads for cosmetic products (Bird, 2009). Celebrities can also play positive roles in persuading their young fans to be more realistic and be content with themselves. Popular singer Britney Spears set a great example when she released pre-photoshopped images of her from a shoot for Candies brand, in order to tell young girls to keep their body image realistic (Extra, 2010).

Media’s portrayal of celebrities as the standards of beauty and celebrities-endorsed cosmetic products are promoting unrealistic perceptions of beauty. The time has come that the young girls are given better ideals and taught to appreciate their appearance and have realistic expectations about beauty. The FDA should do a better job of educating the public about the adverse effects of cosmetic products, celebrities should help promote realistic perceptions of beauty, and media should stop focusing on celebrities looks so much and instead promote their professional talent.

References

Bird, K. (2009, September 22). Celebrity endorsement could suffer under proposed regulatory changes. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Market-Trends/Celebrity-endorsements-could-suffer-under-proposed-regulatory-changes

Extra. (2010, April 13). Photos! Britney Spears’ Candies Ad, Before and After. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2010/04/photos_britney_spears_candies_ad_before_and_after.php

InStyle. (2010, May 13). Kate Hudson: Almay’s New Face. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://news.instyle.com/2010/05/13/kate-hudson-almays-new-face/

JustJared. (2011, October 17). Reese Witherspoon Participates in Avon Walk For Breast Cancer. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://justjared.buzznet.com/2011/10/17/reese-witherspoon-participates-in-avon-walk-for-breast-cancer/

NOVA. (n.d.). Putting on a good face – the chemistry of cosmetics. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://www.science.org.au/nova/083/083key.htm

Passikoff, R. (2010, October 4). Why celebrity endorsement is key for cosmetic brands. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://www.utalkmarketing.com/pages/Article.aspx?ArticleID=19099&Title=Why_celebrity_endorsement_is_key_for_cosmetic_brands

People. (2010, April 30). Taylor Swift Named Newest Face of CoverGirl. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com/2010/04/30/exclusive-taylor-swift-named-newest-face-of-covergirl/

Prance, L. (2007, March 1). Study predicts backlash against celebrity endorsed products. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Market-Trends/Study-predicts-backlash-against-celebrity-endorsed-products

WebMD. (n.d.). Are “Hypoallergenic” Cosmetics Really Better? Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/guide/are-hypoallergenic-cosmetics-really-better

Wood, L. (n.d.). Perceptions Of Female Beauty In The 20th Century. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://barneygrant.tripod.com/p-erceptions.htm