This is an article I wrote for my writing class in November 2007.
With a soothing melody in the background, the new DOVE advertisement begins with an ordinary yet pretty and full-figured woman entering the room. As she sits in front of the mirror, the filming is then set in a fast-forward pace. The camera stays focused on her face and the pampering begins: the make-up is beautifully put and her straight hair is curled. In a brief matter of time, she goes from natural to plain glamorous. When you believe the commercial is over as the photo shoot finally takes place, her photographs are edited with a certain computer program. Wanting a more slender face and a so-called perfect symmetry as well, some of her features are “improved”: her lips are made fuller, her eyes are widened, her neck is stretched and her cheeks are attenuated. Finally the viewer can witness how the perfect picture of this perfect face is put on a billboard. She is fabulous, but unrecognizable from the person at the beginning. Evolution – A Dove Film ends saying “No wonder our perception of beauty is distorted. Take part in the real beauty workshops for girls.”
We live in a society today where appearance and its whereabouts have become such a great part in our lives. Indeed, the emphasis we have on the subject is undeniable as we promptly realize that we are surrounded by models all the time. We get to watch them on television, we look at their pictures in magazines or on the internet, and their billboards are in every corner of the city. These women, naturally beautiful or with a few retouches, can truly make one blush. It is common for women to feel a little perplexed or even frustrated when it comes to describing their feelings about their face and/or body. I would like to be skinnier, one would admit. Many people are surely not satisfied with their figure, especially as they keep on comparing themselves to these “gorgeous creatures”.
For instance, one of the main concerns today is still the issue on eating disorders and severe weight loss, not only affecting models but the average woman as well. This particular matter once again hit the headlines when Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston died caused by anorexia last year. And the fight is far from being over. It is a reality that thousands of women worldwide are still combating with their weight issues. As demonstrated in the DOVE film, simple pampering seems not enough to be alluring and a slimmer version of “you” would do the trick instead. Therefore, women are pressured to have a better or more similar body to the models in the advertisement.
