The Shape of America

The Shape of America

As marketing strategies have evolved, they have enhanced the ability of advertisers to communicate to the "masses" more effectively than ever before. This ability has allowed advertisers to not only reach more markets, but to be more influential in the decision making process of the audience. American society, especially young women, is being influenced by advertisers more now than in previous generations. It is not by accident that teenagers and young adults are targeted by advertisers, especially since their purchasing power as a group exceeds that of any other consumer group. Not only have advertisers learned to identify specific products that appeal to men and women, but they have also found that the "want" of the consumer can be turned into a "need" for the advertised product. Many of the beauty product companies advertise their products as a "need" which ultimately appeals to a vast majority of women.

Estee Lauder's beauty product is one such advertiser. In an August 2004 issue of Vogue magazine, enclosed was a two-page ad campaign intended to sell Estee Lauder's "Future Perfect Anti-Wrinkle Radiance Moisturizers SPF." This advertisement

is appealing to the consumer because it stresses the importance of remaining young by the use of this product. This advertisement then goes further to stress that, "The past is forgiven, the present is improved, and the future will be perfect." This advertisement includes three alluring models, all of which are of different ethnicity but essentially have the same physical attributes. This image is used to appeal to all sorts of American women. The models all have famished bodies; this includes their angular, somewhat gaunt faces and protruding collarbones. Located right below this image is the company's slogan which reads, "ESTEE LAUDER. Defining Beauty." The attempt is made with this advertisement to define beauty with images of starved and malnourished models which Estee Lauder claims to be the standard for beauty.

Estee Lauder is presenting its view of beauty to the consumer as the defining truth. The issue with the advertisement

is the acceptance by the consumer that the Estee Lauder definition of beauty is truthful and factual. The targeted audience for this advertisement is women of all ages. Beauty is something extremely important to women and is constantly being reinforced in the society of today. Very few women are confident and satisfied with their appearance. Society only needs to examine the polling done by CNN when the question, "Are you satisfied with your appearance?" was presented to a group of women between the ages of 18 and 30. Over 55% responded negatively to this question (CNN.com). This Estee Lauder advertisement was created to persuade women to "perfect" their appearance. The problem lies in the defining of beauty as seen by Estee Lauder. The models in the ad are all appealing to both the mental and visual senses. However, the models in the advertisement are anything but your normal woman. The consumer must decide if the definition of beauty rests in the hands of Estee Lauder. Is beauty in the eye of the beholder or in the eye of the advertising agency?

Estee Lauder not only creates an unrealistic definition, but they also pass these models off as being the standard for beauty and the look that women need. As long as the consumers buy into the Estee Lauder advertisement, then and only then, is Estee Lauder's definition of beauty validated. By starting out the advertisement with, "Can you change the destiny of your skin," it reinforces that people are not satisfied with the way they are; they need this product to become beautiful. When Estee Lauders professes that the past is forgiven, the present is improved, and the future will be perfect, the reader is being conditioned to wonder if they too are or can become beautiful. According to this claim, consumers were previously inadequate