First of all, let me begin by saying that I really enjoyed the readings and videos for this week. A great mix and lots to think about! As stated in the article, “Image is Everything: Why People Are Hooked on Image-Based Social Media,” “text-only” information is “old news,” largely due to SmartPhone photography. Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram are growing rapidly; images can be so informative. Images have the ability not only to reinforce the message of a story, but also to make a story memorable. Although images are everywhere in today’s world, I don’t think the power of an image is a new phenomena. I think back to some of the most memorable events in recent American history, and what I remember are the images. When I think of 9/11, what comes to mind is the iconic image of the towers crumbling.
When I think of the assassination of JFK, what comes to mind is the picture of John Kennedy, Jr. saluting his father’s casket.
Pictures have the power to capture a moment and make it enduring.
Images in the media have a huge effect on everyone and students in particular, especially in advertising. Steve Richards points out in his blog, “The Power of Pictures in Social Media Marketing,” that images can “transform consumers’ views.” This is definitely true for kids. Not only do kids want items that look appealing, they learn to identify with the person marketing the item or the image of the individuals in the advertisement. I am thinking of the power of images of professional athletes which entice students to buy sneakers, apparel and sports gear. Consider advertisements for beer which show groups of young people having a great time. Kids are very impressionable and are deeply affected, perhaps subconsciously, by such images in ads.
Images in the media of the “perfect looking person” are pervasive. Cameron Russell’s TED Talk stresses the notion that “image is powerful...but superficial.” Images in the media have contributed to the preponderance of young people who have negative body images. As Russell says, at age seventeen, 78% of girls don’t like their bodies. Young people (and not so young) are led to believe that they will be happier if they have thinner thighs, or just lose ten pounds. The obsession with body image has gone beyond health, and leads not only to poor self-image, but to serious eating disorders. People don’t realize that they images they see of models aren’t real. As Russell says, they are “constructions,” bearing little resemblance to reality. Yet, many people compare themselves to such images and needless to say, feel that they don’t measure up.
Videos like the Meghan Trainor’s, “All About Bass,” try to combat such perceptions by stressing, “Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top.” I am also reminded of the Dove Real Beauty Campaign, which is one of the few advertising campaigns that features models of varying shapes and sizes, emphasizing that all people are beautiful. Companies like Dove realize the damage that is being caused by the unrealistic images of women in the media, but they are in the minority. The campaign is popular, and although companies like Dove are fighting an uphill battle, there is hope in the fact that Americans have been very receptive to the ads.
Social media advertising is becoming more and more prevalent. Without a doubt it is the wave of the future. As the Forbes Magazine article said, businesses must “keep up or be left behind.” What I find frightening about it is the way that it can be tailored to the individual. An individual’s social media profile is analyzed and targeted ads are sent to that person. For this reason, we need to make ourselves and kids aware of the potential for manipulation. It’s not that all products are bad, or that all marketing is dangerous, but consumers definitely need to be aware of what is being conveyed by the multitude of images they are confronted with every day.
Citations:
The Power of Words
Image is Everything: Why People Are Hooked on Image-Based Social Media
All About that Bass (lyrics compared to comments)
3 Ways Social Media Is Driving A Business Revolution
Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model.
Images:
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