Body Image: What the Billboards Say

That's a fascinating collection of billboards, although I have to confess I am always slightly revolted by the idea of touting for business when you are in the business when you're offering weight loss surgery.

The Kellogg's advert is cute.

Ah, those clever marketers.

I find myself alternately amused or disgusted with most of their weight loss marketing.

Brian

That Kelloggs one is inspired :)

Some of these are just too clever (the last two), while others are just disgusting (the first two).

those first three are disgusting. you'll only get married if you lose weight. you'll be smarter with bigger boobs. drinking diet soda makes you look skinny and wicked. imagine if MEN were in those photos instead of women! then again, picturing the allergan ad as being geared towards male plastic surgery rather than breast enlargement....*shudder* nevermind.

The red dress one is very clever. The first one is just wrong.

I think it is a funny reflection on our society. Not just that these ads are out there and affecting the perceptions of the unaware and the young, but that we're analyzing the ads of companies marketing a "more beautiful" body. I think the ads are accomplishing exactly what was intended in their conception. These kinds of ads are going to be out there as long as people care about chasing beauty.

At least when it's an advertisement, the consumer knows there's an agenda behind it. Sometimes these messages are loathesome, like the first one, but at least it's clear what they're selling.

What I hate even more are all the tv shows and movies featuring skeletal actresses, that make bigger women out to be comic or flawed. The messages are more likely to go under the radar: starve yourself or be undesirable and ludicrous. Of course then the commercial break comes and it's for triple pepperoni pizza.

I always swear I'm not affected by ads, but then everyone thinks that about themselves. Mmm, pizza...

Think how health-eroding to health-destroying most of the advertised products above are.

That company makes yogurt and cottage cheese... can't read the Hebrew on the package though.

Hey, I'm fat and I had a FABULOUS wedding very recently!

maybe I broke some kind of law? should I be on the run from the american bariatrics association? maybe they have a hit out on me...

The first two are just wrong. Hmmm, maybe i can only get married if i get plastic surgery!! maybe i'll be able to be a rocket sciencentist if i get a breast enlargement!

If you guys think that the two first ads are disgusting, you should check out the one's in spanish that they advertise on the hispanic tv channels. those are repulsive!

Interesting ads. I actually like the Special K. It kept my attention. The first two ads were a turn off for me.

Crabby McSlacker said:
What I hate even more are all the tv shows and movies featuring skeletal actresses, that make bigger women out to be comic or flawed. The messages are more likely to go under the radar: starve yourself or be undesirable and ludicrous[...]

So true. I'm think back to Monica in a fat suit.

I think the one with the red dress is terribly neat and the Special is simply inspirational. But I do have a question, why would breast implants make you look smarter?

jessy said:
But I do have a question, why would breast implants make you look smarter?[...]

I'm not sure it would make you look smarter either. Maybe they mean it like "now people will objectify you and your brains will no longer matter"?

My husband just got a new job as a physics professor. I must remind him to get breast implants before he teaches any classes, or the kids won't think he's smart enough... :-)

Susan said:
My husband just got a new job as a physics professor. I must remind him to get breast implants before he teaches any classes, or the kids won't think he's smart enough... :-)[...]

Susan, if you want the male equivalent, tell him to make sure to put on a Wonderjock pair of underwear everyday. Just like the Wonderbra, the Wonderjock "lifts and enhances".

I wish I were kidding:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15533716/

Oh wow, I'm pretty disillusioned after checking out that site, Jan! LOL

Those ads are NASTY, especially the first two. I thought the Diet Coke one was kinda funny 'cause Hollywood Ebola's pooch got snatched.

I still don't know when big boobs finally equate brilliance...

"Hollywood Ebola" is my new favorite name for her. I laughed so hard.