When it Comes to Models, Skinny Sells Despite Self-Loathing By-product
Oct 6th, 2008 • Posted in: NewsOttawa Citizen report examines an ethical dilemma: Should advertisers use ultra-thin models, even though it lowers consumers’ morale, or take the high road and produce potentially less-effective ads?
OTTAWA
A marketing researcher at a college in Pennsylvania found that viewing ads featuring very skinny models made many women feel badly about themselves.
But the study also found that the same subjects were more likely to buy products touted by super-skinny models than products advertised using models of more normal dimensions.
Ottawa Citizen reporter Joanne Laucius notes that several firms have been using normal-size models in recent years, a trend that many find empowering but unfortunately not very effective at moving products.
This creates a moral dilemma for advertisers, Laucius writes: “Should advertisers use ads that sell stuff knowing they make women feel bad about themselves?” Or, she asks, should they take the high road and run ads that potentially are less effective?
The Citizen report also elaborates on another ethical issue involving excessively thin models: The images often are digitally enhanced. The fact that this is not widely acknowledged, according to a psychologist quoted in the report, poses ethics problems because it leads some consumers to aspire to look like what are literally unreal images.
Source: Ottawa Citizen, Oct. 2.
For more information, see: Related Newsline story, Apr. 21 — Related Newsline story, Apr. 7 — Related Newsline story, Feb. 20, 2007 — Related Newsline story, Nov. 20, 2006 — Related Newsline story, Sep. 26, 2005.
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