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Monday, November 8, 2010

Advertisements

We have all seen "those" ads. We've all heard "those" ads. Several times. They can be quite disturbing if you're paying attention to the TV or radio. Disturbing more in the fact that society simply doesn't seem to care that "those" ads are everywhere. Society simply accepts them. Is it the openness that society accepts? Or is it simply a matter of society no longer cares?

The ads I refer to are the kind that refer to the enlargement of certain male body parts. Or the ads that refer to clinics that offer liposuction and "laser contouring".

I don't remember how it started, or when really. Possibly with Bob from Enzyte. And then it just went crazy. Maybe it started with Viagra. Who knows?

The ads I'm forced to hear on the radio every night at work state "the results are ah-mazing", "nothing short of a miracle" and that "you're name will not appear on any list" and "our name won't show up on the package". Just call in and you'll get a free sample of some sort of "miracle pill" to make Mr. Dingleberry be 2cm larger.

Besides, anyone else feel a smidge uncomfortable hearing said commercials while standing next to a male co-worker? Or seeing it on the TV? Let's just pretend that commercial didn't just make it to our eardrums.




And men, if you think I'm picking on you, I will say that I don't get breast implants either.

Another ad I'm bombarded with on the radio at work is for a local clinic that offers liposuction and "laser contouring" for your trouble areas. Now, being a woman, I am my own worst critic. And I have several trouble areas. However, I'm not about to run off to a miracle clinic to pay them thousands of dollars to contour me with lasers and suck the (much) unwanted fat out of my body. Their ad says, "If you wake up every morning and aren't happy with what you see" (or some version of that) "then call ".

Hold your horses.

Isn't society trying to tell young girls to love themselves? For who they are? To not conform to the skinny model look?

Then W.T.F., mate? Women are bombarded with images of "perfect" models. While everyone knows they're airbrushed and photo-shopped to perfection, we are shown that they are the "model" for how we should be. Then, we are bombarded with people telling us to love ourselves for who we are and what we look like - even if love-handles are involved. Then we are bombarded with ads from clinics and the like that says if you hate yourself enough we can make you look prettier like those models on the billboards.

But if you start, where do you stop? Once you take care of the original problem areas, you find more. It's a never ending cycle.

How are we supposed to handle hearing all the contradictions out there? Love yourself, but come in here and we contour you with lasers and make you better. Don't starve yourself to look like a model, just come in here and we'll use the lasers to make you look like them.

It's enough to make one's head spin 'round.

In case anyone hasn't noticed, I'm sick of seeing/hearing commercials that tell me to call in to enlarge a body part I don't have, telling me to call a clinic to suck and contour the fat out of my body, and all the like. Including the TV commercials for the "special time" couples need magic pills for. Dude, talk to your doctor, don't just call the 1-800 number on the screen for free samples.

Just give me Happy Cow commercials and anything else that's funny and stop making me listen to enlargement and fat sucking/contouring commercials. I beg you.

8 comments:

  1. Agreed. Some things you just don't want to have to read about or hear.

    http://rantersbox.blogspot.com

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  2. We live in a world where so many of us are self conscious and these companies prey on that. It is what it is, if anything it's going to get worse before it gets better.

    And don't worry about feeling uncomfortable around male co-workers during the 'enhancement' commercials. We all think those ads are as foolish as you do. Besides.. they don't even work. Or so I have been told. By a friend. Yeah, a friend.

    SD
    simpledudecomplexworld.blogspot.com

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  3. Empress - Definitely!

    SD - I'm sure it will get worse before better. Sad that it has to happen that way, though. And uh, your "friends" secret is safe with me. LOL

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  4. I can't stand those commercials...or the ones for his and her KY lubes and what not. We get it...we're adults. We get that these are issues some people have. If people have those issues I am POSSITIVE they will find the product on their own, as I'm sure they want to help their own sex life...but not everyone needs/wants to see and hear about that crap! Ugh! It makes me cringe just thinking about it.

    As for the body image stuff...I think Simple Dude is right. So many people have body issues and it's a market that is growing as we perpetuate it. Moms buying their 16 yr olds nose jobs and breast implants teaches new generations that if you don't like it...you can fix it. It's gross. I don't think there is any easy fix here though, unfortunately.

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  5. I agree, I am sick of male enhancement commercials, tampon commercials, and pretty much any commerical trying to convince me I need their product. I get it, we consume.
    As for the body thing,I think it is sad that it is pounded into all our heads how we are supposed to look. That if we don't look like so and so we must be fat and ugly. I guess the only thing I can do as a parent is to help my children develop the self esteem they need so they won't want to change how they look. That and try to take care of and love myself.
    Great post!
    Jess

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  6. Jewels - The generation of "fix it before it's broke". Oy ve.

    Me, Myself, and I - Dear Lord, I hate the commercials that tell me to "have a happy period". Dude. It ain't happy. Shut up and give me chocolate.

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  7. Oh, I am so sick of those ads! Why do we need to hear them? I mean, really? There is a local plastic surgeon here as well who advertises with a tag line that goes something like this: "...you deserve to love who you see in the mirror..." SERIOUSLY?! Yes, by all means, make me look like a Stepford wife, I beg you. Blah. Sometimes I just want to say, "Let me be me and stop trying to make me feel bad about myself."

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  8. I,too, do not get the fascination of constantly altering your figure. what's the big deal? you judge people by who they are-NOT their outward appearance! Jamie, you are one of the most beautiful people I have EVER known! You're beautiful both inside and out and that's a rare and precious combo. To top it off, you are beyond hyaterically funny and always there for your friends. You are a true treasure to all that know you! Mary

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