SubscribeWomen Prefer Products Pitched by Thin Models
I've sort of resigned myself to the fact that I will never even come close to figuring out that deeply complex bundle of circuitry known as the female brain. This was further emphasized to me after reading about this peculiar study, which showed that although images of thin models hawking products made women feel worse about themselves - they were more likely to purchase those products than those products pitched by women of regular girth.
And things get more interesting from there...
Business professor Jeremy Kees and his research team found that, although female subjects felt badly about themselves after looking at ads with skinny models, they also regarded those brands more highly. The subjects who saw ads with regular-sized models didn't feel bad about themselves, but they also gave the brands a lower value.
Interesting, but then the study swerves into a different direction....cookies. 
Upon seeing the ads, subjects were offered Oreo cookies as thank you tokens for participating in the study. Predictably, the group who had just seen the thin models were 4 times less likely to accept them!
Dove Commercials: Empowering, but not Profitable
Dove's campaign for beauty received a lot of attention when it was unveiled a couple of years back. Sales of Dove have leveled off after an initial boost, but Procter & Gamble's Olay, L'Oreal's Age Perfect cream and a new Garnier lineup - which target younger women, made inroads using ads that employed celebrities and models.
Kees sees the Dove campaign as more of a PR benefit for the brand.
I think people see the ads and . . . and think that Dove really cares about young females and their distorted sense of beauty created by the media," he said.
Kees cautions though that one mustn't hastily jump to a conclusion that refusing cookies will lead to eating disorders.
Janet Polivy, psychology professor from the University of Toronto has an interesting opinion on the matter;
If a woman looks at photos of models in context and gets information or enjoyment out of doing so, or if she fantasizes about looking like or living like a model, then it appears thin models make her feel good about herself.
She goes on to say;
"If they're asked to compare themselves, naturally, they feel inferior," she says. But in general, women don't buy magazines to compare themselves to the models inside, so advertising usually makes them feel good, not bad...Women aren't stupid, they don't go seeking - and paying for - things that will make them feel worse about themselves."
I don't profess to have the slightest clue as to the deep model of purchase decision-making and how it intertwines into the even more complicated matrix of body image and self-esteem. For what it's worth though, I do think those Dove commercials are great and even if it doesn't impact their bottom line, taking a stance against the conventional and potentially detrimental way beauty products are marketed is a good thing.
Story Source: The Vancouver Province
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I personally think those dove commercials really paved the way for future more "realistic" models. It will be interesting to see what happens going forward.
ReplyFascinating results, Mike, thanks for reporting on these.
It makes me feel quite uneasy, because I know that -- despite trying not to -- I do end up equating "slim" with "successful". It's an insidious thing, fostered by countless magazines, films and TV shows ... and it's so hard to get away from, especially if you're a woman. I suspect that the people in the study have that subconscious urge to believe that skinny models are successful people, hence people whose opinions should be trusted.
It's a worrying sign of how entrenched the culture of thinness has become. I'm sure that if this study was done in a society where being plump or overweight (or even just "well rounded") was a sign of success and wealth, the results would be completely different...
ReplyInteresting post, I'd have to say this is not anything new at least from the male perspective. Young, healthy looking women throughout the ages (whatever was in style at the time) were always in demand. I can only assume that women noticed and strived (speaking from an evolutional perspective) to keep themselves desirable (much as the guys strived to become good fighters and hunters).
Really I am not trying to sound like a chauvinist here but merely stating that if the thin women are viewed as more desirable by other women - then they are probably more highly regarded.
I do think there is a disconnect between men’s and women’s view of body image. I am guessing that twiggy or runway models are not ‘in’ with most men but Bay Watch women probably are more what they (most men) think are healthy or desirable (the opposite of what many women might think - at least the young ones due to peer pressure).
Sorry I digressed a bit but I think it is applicable to your post.
ReplyActually, most women do think that men want the Baywatch ideal (not the skinny-skinny models)...but in case you hadn't noticed, the chicks on Baywatch were pretty dang skinny when compared to actual women on the street.
ReplyI know I'm a little bit guilty of prefering products sold by thinner women; especially things like food. Probably because I figure: "If SHE can eat chocolate and still look like that, so can I". I know the logic is flawed, but sadly, it's the truth.
ReplyI think looking at ad is like an aspiration of what you want to become. In the case of beauty product, thought what Dove did is worth applauding, but I'm not surprised that it doesn't push products, because looking at the Dove ads there's nothing huge to aspire to.
That being said, if you look at the "average" models they used in the Dove ad, they are really mostly quite attractive "average" person, though not photoshop to death, photoshop is definitely used to remove certain lumps and bumps.
There's a reason why ads use thin, attractive models, because by making the viewer feel worse about themselves, they would have this hope that by using the products in the ad, they will become more like the attractive person in the ad.
So beauty product ads is used to promote hope (though false) of becoming better looking.
In Tang dynasty China, female with round curve (now is called overweight) was the standard of beauty, if they had had ads, the centre of interested will be a overweight person I guess.
ReplyI posted this very late on the earlier Dove blog, but I think it's fitting here too, so I'm copying it here:
As an average-looking woman myself, my issue with the Dove campaign is I feel WORSE about myself when I take it in. I feel like I'm being told "who are you trying to kid...you're not model beautiful and we know it!" Seriously, that's how I feel! Who are THEY to decide I, an invisible consumer, DOESN'T fit a typical beauty standard? For one thing, like it or not, stunningly beautiful women DO exist. Heck, I knew a jaw dropper in college who looked like a cover model, NO airbrushing, all she had to do was roll out of bed in the morning. It didn't bother me though, because that was how she came into this world. I like to think that beautiful women like that are allowed to exist, and that "average" women like me can play dress up and buy glamorous products and have the occasional great hair day or wear a fabulous outfit and feel like "hmmm...maybe I'M turning a few heads today, just like she did!" I guess what I'm saying is, the Dove campaign is supposed to nurture that feeling I already have, but what I really see is "we know you're not beautiful like them...accept it and buy our products because we like you ANYWAY." See the irony there?
ReplyQuestion: Isn't the same company that owns Dove the one that owns Axe? And have you seen the advertisements for that? Quite a contradition. I hate to be cynical, but it seems like Dove's Campain for Real Beauty is just a way of targetting women who either don't feel great about themselves or who want to support this kind of positive body image movement. It's just a ploy. In the end, it is all about making money. I resent anyone who would want to profit from other people's insecurities.
ReplyI agree with the first post. I think it's a great thing that they're using realistic looking women. Yes, beauties exist everywhere, but it's nice not to be greeted in all ads with collar bones and ribs.
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Cheers, Geoff