3 The dangerous ways ads see women Jean Kilbourne TEDxLafayetteCollege

Summary

The speaker discusses her journey in examining the portrayal of women in advertising since the late 1960s. She highlights the evolution of advertising's unrealistic and harmful depictions, the impact on self-esteem, and the objectification of both genders. The talk emphasizes the increasing pressure on women to conform to an unattainable ideal and the normalization of sexual violence in media. However, she also notes the emergence of activism and media literacy, offering hope for change towards a more responsible and respectful representation in advertising.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker began analyzing the image of women in advertising in the late 1960s and was possibly the first to do so, noticing a pattern in how women were portrayed.
• 🎥 In 1979, the speaker created the film 'Killing Us Softly,' which critiques the portrayal of women in advertising and has been remade three times since then.
• 🤔 The speaker often faces the question of what sparked their interest in this topic, attributing it to various factors including involvement in the women's movement and personal experiences in media and modeling.
• 👚 The speaker discusses the unrealistic and harmful expectations set for women's appearances, exacerbated by the use of Photoshop in modern advertising.
• 🧍‍♂️ Men are also photoshopped in ads, but the changes tend to make them appear larger or more muscular, unlike the thinness and youthfulness imposed on women.
• 👧 The sexualization of girls starts at a very young age in advertising, with products and imagery that normalize dangerous attitudes towards children.
• 👦 Boys are not exempt from sexualization; they are encouraged to view girls as sex objects and to be sexually precocious, fostering a culture of objectification.
• 👙 Advertising often dismembers and insults women's bodies, promoting an unrealistic and unattainable standard of beauty that affects self-esteem and body image.
• 🚫 The speaker emphasizes that the sexualization and objectification in advertising are not just harmless; they can lead to violence and have serious consequences for society.
• 🌍 Despite the challenges, there is hope for change. The speaker highlights the work of organizations, activists, and the growing awareness about media literacy and the impact of advertising.
• 💪 The speaker calls for a collective effort to challenge these images and create a better world, emphasizing the role of an educated and active public in driving profound and global changes.

Q & A

When did the speaker start collecting and analyzing images of women in advertising?

The speaker started collecting and analyzing images of women in advertising in the late 1960s.

What was the speaker's first film about advertising's image of women?

The speaker's first film was titled 'Killing Us Softly,' which was about advertising's image of women and has been remade three times since its creation in 1979.

What is the speaker's view on the impact of advertising on children's self-esteem?

The speaker believes that advertising, with its unrealistic and idealized images, negatively impacts children's self-esteem, particularly girls, leading to issues such as eating disorders, depression, and low self-esteem.

How does the speaker describe the evolution of advertising targeting children?

The speaker notes that advertising targeting children has become more widespread, powerful, and sophisticated, with marketers starting to target children as young as six months old, the age at which they can recognize corporate logos.

What does the speaker suggest is the most common misconception about the influence of advertising?

The most common misconception, according to the speaker, is that people believe they are personally exempt from the influence of advertising, often claiming that ads have no effect on them.

How has the use of Photoshop in advertising affected the speaker's perspective on the image of women?

The speaker views the use of Photoshop in advertising as exacerbating the problem of unrealistic beauty standards, making it even more impossible for women to live up to these ideals and contributing to negative self-esteem.

What does the speaker argue is the difference in the way men's and women's faces are read in advertising?

The speaker argues that women's faces are often sexualized and objectified, while men's faces are less likely to be dismembered or altered in a way that detracts from their humanity.

How does the speaker describe the impact of sexualized advertising on girls?

The speaker describes the impact as harmful, stating that girls exposed to sexualized images from a young age are more prone to negative outcomes such as low self-esteem, depression, and eating disorders.

What is the speaker's opinion on the normalization of violence against women in advertising?

The speaker believes that advertising often normalizes and trivializes violence against women, creating a climate where women are seen as objects, which can lead to real-world violence.

What positive change does the speaker highlight in the fight against harmful advertising practices?

The speaker highlights the emergence of numerous films, books, organizations, and media literacy programs in schools as positive changes, along with political action and activism, which give her hope for a better future.

What is the speaker's call to action for the audience?

The speaker calls for an aware, active, and educated public to challenge harmful images and create a better world, emphasizing that everyone has a stake in this issue.