Women Like Ultra-Thin Models?!

Sometimes we, as human beings, have a penchant for things that are bad for us. Twinkies, wicker furniture and advertisements of ultra-thin women all come to mind. A recent study by Villanova University and the College of New Jersey found that while women actually feel worse about themselves when viewing advertising featuring stick thin models, they are still apt to purchase items from that particular retailer.

Wait--isn't that like some form of self-induced flogging? C'mon ladies!

In the study, college-age women were found to turn down a snack pack of Oreo cookies (it's only 100 calories for god's sake!) or opt for a reduced fat version when exposed to advertising of super thin models. To add insult to injury--as if this study wasn't bad enough--women reported increased negativity about their own sexual attractiveness, weight and overall physicality after seeing thin models.

Jeremy Kees, a business professor at Villanova had this quote to share: "The really interesting result we're seeing across multiple studies is that these thin models make women feel bad, but they like it. They have higher evaluation of the brands. With the more regular-size models, they don't feel bad. Their body image doesn't change. But in terms of evaluations of the brands, those are actually lower."

Personally, I don't think Jeremy knows what he's talking about, but it's worth exploring. Why would something that makes us feel bad also motivate us to buy? We may need a panel of psychologists to figure this one out. Ultimately, though it puts retailers in a position where they can't win.

So, when you grab a couple of anorexic models and put them in your advertising, you're an irresponsible retailer promoting an unhealthy lifestyle and contributing to the degradation of women. But, if you put regular size gals in your ads, women may just continue to buy from your morally inept competitor.

What's a retailer to do?

Well, a retailer should follow their conscience. Take after France perhaps, who earlier in the year banned the use of any ultra-thin models in ads, as did Spain. London-based Unilever refuses to use size-zero models for advertising for any of their brands. A spokesman from Unilever made the following incredibly intelligent comment, "Unilever is confident in the effectiveness of its advertising. We believe women have the right to feel comfortable with their bodies and not suffer from lack of self-esteem brought on by images of excessive slimness." (Amen, spokesman from Unilever!)

And while this study brings up some interesting points, it should also be noted that Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty has reached more than 1 million young girls and is on track to reach more than 5 million by 2010. They are single-handedly teaching girls how to feel good about themselves, no matter their size.

Women are simply so used to the media's constant degradation of their bodies that they've taken it on as their own. If retailers can begin to honor and respect women's bodies and show it in their advertising, women will slowly regain their self-confidence; eat a whole carton of Oreo's and buy from a healthy body-image retailer.

Who's with me?!

What do you think about this study--bogus? Or a fascinating psychology experiment that shows just how influential advertising can be? Share your thoughts here!

--Heather Strang

 

Comments

[Brian Oblivion]

Give me ten years and all those advertisers and I'll make size 12 the hottest thing in America - it's advertising… duh.

Who really needs a $2,000 bag or a size-0 frame? Who really thinks McCain and Palin are up to the task of running this country?

Thanks to unethical marketers willing to forgo morals for jingling pockets, this country is up to its ears in depressed women voting for an abusive husband for president and a governor that wanted to succeed from the Union as VP.

[Holly Buchanan]

I'd like to see the research about women having "higher evaluation" of brands with stick thin models.

I'm not saying I disagree with it, but I'd like to see the details. The top fashion houses are the biggest offenders with stick thin models - it may be that that ultra-skinny look is equated with high end designer fashion.

But it doesn't mean women like that look.

Great article - I hope you'll do further research on this important topic.