Self Esteem Developing in Adolescents and Young Women Through Advertising

Social Media advertises certain products to convince the consumers that they need them. Therefore, advertisements use physical attractiveness to draw in consumers and society as well. However, some of these advertisements negatively impact adolescents and young women's self-perception. Youth today already face many obstacles as they start adulting. They experience less attention, hardship in relationships, or begin to realize that some of their goals may be unreachable; and all of these are something that takes time to adapt to. But because of these advertisements using physical attractiveness in them, these consumers start to face another challenge; like lowered self esteem.

Because these images portray unrealistic features of someone being perfect; the consumers begin to socially compare themselves to that someone. When they start to compare themselves, they begin to develop unhealthy lifestyles. They become depressed, become stressed, or become insecure; yet there can also be another side to these idealized images for some of the consumers.

When consumers visualize these images, they chose to compare their "mediocre selves."

Definition of Mediocre- not very good

What makes these consumers "not very good?"

In Social Comparison and Idealized Images of Advertising by Marsha L. Richins, she states how "consumers are left with haunting images of perfection and wealth and increasingly desperate realization that they will never achieve the idealized state depicted in the images" (Richins 2). Which means these images are making these consumers think they are not very good. Then adolescents and young women start to question their own life, thinking they will never mount up to the people in the images. They embed in their brains that they will never reach a superior path like the IDEALIZED images. That is how advertisements start to lower the self esteem of others; by placing false and unrealistic characteristics of someone who is possibly not living a perfect life themselves. However, they want the consumers to think that they are living a perfect life; just to sell a product. A product that promotes "perfection and wealth."
They are basically telling the consumers "if you don't buy this product you will not reach that," convincing them that their own life isn't good enough.

Martin and Gentry from Stuck in the Model Trap wrote, "girls are generally occupied with attempting to become beautiful" (Martin and Gentry 2). Of course, it's understandable to wanting to become beautiful; yet there's a difference between helping and criticizing them. Advertisements entice adolescents and young women to compare themselves to advertising models; and as they compare themselves, they begin wishing for the models beauty. That then causes them either to ignore or not recognize their own true beauty. They may say "I have beauty, but not enough to make me a successful like that model." Yes, they'll recognize some of their beauty, but won't be satisfied with it; and spending an enormous amount of time visualizing that sets pressure upon them to try and be perfect, and that encourages them to self-evaluate and list all the "wrong" things about themselves.

Self-evaluation starts when advertisements question the consumers beauty

They may ask/say:

• "Do you look this good?"
• "If only you knew how to look this good."
• "Want to know how to look this good?"

By saying all of this to the consumers, they are basically criticizing them. Why would they need to tell them "if only you knew?" They are basically telling them "you don't know how to beautiful, so let me show you." What if the consumers do know, but don't want to?

By advertisements saying this to the consumers results in "self perceptions and self esteem being affected" (Martin and Gentry 5). Nonetheless, advertisements shouldn't have to question the consumers looks or compare it to photo-shopped images. They criticize first, then show what the product can do. Why not just say all together what the product is used for and what it does?

Not only are these consumers being affected mentally, but also being affected physically. Richins states, "ads have created such unhappiness among young women about their bodies and faces that their confidence is undermined, causing them to indulge in unhealthy eating practices that may lead to eating disorders or to turn to invasive procedures like plastic surgery" (Richins 4). This means young women are developing negative mindsets and unhealthy lifestyles in order to feel like the models on the ads. Yet, what the consumers don't know is by developing these choices leads them back to an unhappy life. Yes, they will be happy for a moment in their life; but eventually this unhealthy lifestyle creeps up on you and you start to experience negative things in your life like weakness, growth and development issues, and fracture in relationships. So by letting it affect in a physical way only leads them back to an unhappy life once again.

"It can be demoralizing because one is forced to face one's inferiority" says Martin and Gentry. However, some may look at these images as a motive for self-improvement. Some let it inspire them to a healthier eating habit or maybe develop a workout plan; yet it still leaves the consumer questioning whether they are superior or not. They may feel like they "have" to change; when in reality they should just know they don't need to be like everyone else. Especially the unrealistic models. Their true selves is good enough. But yes, it be a motivation for some, that depends on the consumers themselves; still it gives them the questioning of their worth. 

And can I just please ask WHERE ARE THE ADVERTISEMENTS FOR JUST BEING YOURSELF IS GOOD ENOUGH?

Nancy Ann Rudd from Cosmetic Consumption and Use Among Women explains how cosmetics used by women "construct the self" and create a "psychosocial transformation." She states, "women use cosmetics as a means of accomplishing a degree of physical and social transformation, in order to assert greater control over their lives" (Rudd 24). That means advertisements give women the idea of having control over their "own" lives. Sorry but, as human beings, DON'T WE ALREADY HAVE CONTROL OVER OUR OWN LIVES? How does a product make controlling our life any better? Promoting that certain cosmetic just causes more distress upon the young women because eventually they will run out, feel like they don't have enough of it, or feel like the product isn't working the same for them. Consumers should not have to feel in control by a product that will eventually lose it's worth. Consumers should know that they already have control no matter what because it's their "own" life. 

These advertisements using physical attractiveness to promote a product lower the self esteem of consumers by placing these idealized/unrealistic images in front of them and stating how they "should" look. Adolescents and young women are not products that are going to lose value; yet, that's how advertisements make it seem. In fact, it's more like products are the ones controlling our lives. That if we don't get this certain cosmetic, then we can't be superior. Yes, some motivate consumers to self improve themselves, but it still affects their self-perception. When are advertisements going to start focusing on true beauty in one's life, instead of focusing on unrealistic features that impact in a negative way?