Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Dove ad campaign - self-esteem issues

thed00t · 04-05-2007, 07:35 AM

I think you guys are over complicating this entire issue. Dove's angle isn't some philosophical essay on American life, love, and attraction.

Dove's angle is to sell you something. Product manufactures know that their products are more or less the same. The MAJOR contributing difference in wether or not people buy a product over another one is branding.

If you've ever worked in marketing, or with marketing folks, or near marketing folks you know how disgusting the entire industry is. I used to work with marketing folks, and I quit a very nice paying job because I hated how they used pyschology into basically emotionally manipulating people into buying shit they didn't need.

Don't read into this marketing campaign, and don't give it any attention. That's exactly the point of the campaign. The ENTIRE cosmetic industry is based on insecurity and improving image.

That being said I'd like to comment on what society thinks is attractive. Some posters have mentioned younger audiences negative reactions to the older women presented.

Well I'm 25 and I can say I'm not attracted to women that have signs of advanced age. I've seen 40 and 50 year olds that are attractive, and even 60s that show signs of beauty, but I'll be the first to admit that they looked very young for their age, and you could tell that they were very striking when they were younger. I'm sorry, that's just the way younger men feel. We are going to be most attracted to women in our generation. And we can't help it. Men can't really help what we are attracted to. Part of our selection process is indeed subconcious and we are attracted to women based on certain qualities they possess. It's just like the animal kingdom. The most colorful male bird attracts the mate. Why? Because it is likely the most healthiest and strongest mate.

There is a perfectly acceptable biological explanation as for why younger men are not attracted to older women that display signs of age. It is a scientific fact as a women approaches menopause, the chances of birthing a healthy child decreases. Therefore it is only natural in young males to find women who display signs of age not "sexy". Sexy here being defined as a mate you would select.

Now older men tend to not have this problem for a number of reasons. One of these reasons, again back to biology, is decreased testosterone which means the brain isn't quite telling the body we need to be having sex on a regular basis with a woman who can birth a child. This means sex can be with any partner you find attractive, and attractive is not just physical. But when you are young, you can't help but be horny and want to mate with attractive healthy females. There is no apologizing for that at all for males, it's biological and part of the human condition.

Either way, I think everyone is reading far too much into this ad campaign. I think ad campaigns in general should be ignored. They are not reachign into our pysche, they are trying to make a buck.

04-05-2007, 07:35 AM	#68 (permalink)
thed00t I'm a fool.	I think you guys are over complicating this entire issue. Dove's angle isn't some philosophical essay on American life, love, and attraction. Dove's angle is to sell you something. Product manufactures know that their products are more or less the same. The MAJOR contributing difference in wether or not people buy a product over another one is branding. If you've ever worked in marketing, or with marketing folks, or near marketing folks you know how disgusting the entire industry is. I used to work with marketing folks, and I quit a very nice paying job because I hated how they used pyschology into basically emotionally manipulating people into buying shit they didn't need. Don't read into this marketing campaign, and don't give it any attention. That's exactly the point of the campaign. The ENTIRE cosmetic industry is based on insecurity and improving image. That being said I'd like to comment on what society thinks is attractive. Some posters have mentioned younger audiences negative reactions to the older women presented. Well I'm 25 and I can say I'm not attracted to women that have signs of advanced age. I've seen 40 and 50 year olds that are attractive, and even 60s that show signs of beauty, but I'll be the first to admit that they looked very young for their age, and you could tell that they were very striking when they were younger. I'm sorry, that's just the way younger men feel. We are going to be most attracted to women in our generation. And we can't help it. Men can't really help what we are attracted to. Part of our selection process is indeed subconcious and we are attracted to women based on certain qualities they possess. It's just like the animal kingdom. The most colorful male bird attracts the mate. Why? Because it is likely the most healthiest and strongest mate. There is a perfectly acceptable biological explanation as for why younger men are not attracted to older women that display signs of age. It is a scientific fact as a women approaches menopause, the chances of birthing a healthy child decreases. Therefore it is only natural in young males to find women who display signs of age not "sexy". Sexy here being defined as a mate you would select. Now older men tend to not have this problem for a number of reasons. One of these reasons, again back to biology, is decreased testosterone which means the brain isn't quite telling the body we need to be having sex on a regular basis with a woman who can birth a child. This means sex can be with any partner you find attractive, and attractive is not just physical. But when you are young, you can't help but be horny and want to mate with attractive healthy females. There is no apologizing for that at all for males, it's biological and part of the human condition. Either way, I think everyone is reading far too much into this ad campaign. I think ad campaigns in general should be ignored. They are not reachign into our pysche, they are trying to make a buck.