Blog Entry on Society: Athletes
In today’s world, athletes are seen as role models for many children and are often portrayed as “superheroes” through different forms of advertisement. These advertisements at times give off a simulated sense of reality, but I do not believe the athlete is at fault for this, I just think that they need to realize how these subtle messages affect others lives. Every day, kids are exposed to male and female athletes with picture perfect physique doing extraordinary things and posing as if they were gods. The media photoshops these men and women to look more muscular and toned than they really are to sell their product. These “superhumans” look like so perfect because they use this product or shop at this store, is the message delivered to not only children, but adults worldwide. People are being tricked into a false reality when they see these people with great bodies, which gets them feeling self conscious about own form. In order to fix their bodily “problem” that they have self diagnosed, these men and women will then buy the advertised product in a desperate attempt to look like the person from the ad themselves. This is another reason of why I think media today can be an evil power.
Personally, I see these ads and it can be hard to ignore. You want to be in the best shape you can be and look as good as possible, but that is always easier said than done. Genetics and lifestyle choices determine what you look and feel like, not the products you buy or stores you shop at. Another reality is that many of these athletes are using professional hormones, injecting themselves with anabolic steroids, testosterone boosters and other extreme and dangerous ways to build muscle. So, these ads even have the possibility of putting out hopes of results that only steroids would really be able to get you.
Recently, I was watching a TV show when an ad came on for a deodorant brand. A very muscular man wearing boxer shorts and flexing his muscles burst through a wall screaming, saying that if you don’t use that brand of deodorant, you are not a man.I think this is one of the most ridiculous things in todays world because companies are literally picking apart the insecurities of their soon to be customers. Consumers guilt themselves into buying these products, thinking they owe it to themselves to make themselves better and closer to “perfect”, whatever that means. I hope that in the not so distant future, regulations will be set within the advertising businesses to not give out false hope or portray inaccurate senses of reality to people everywhere.
In conclusion, I do not think that athletes and sports models are at fault for the effects certain forms of advertisements have on consumers, especially children. However, I do believe that they need to take more responsibility as celebrities and realize that some of these advertising campaigns can really mess with peoples heads and emotions.
Personally, I see these ads and it can be hard to ignore. You want to be in the best shape you can be and look as good as possible, but that is always easier said than done. Genetics and lifestyle choices determine what you look and feel like, not the products you buy or stores you shop at. Another reality is that many of these athletes are using professional hormones, injecting themselves with anabolic steroids, testosterone boosters and other extreme and dangerous ways to build muscle. So, these ads even have the possibility of putting out hopes of results that only steroids would really be able to get you.
Recently, I was watching a TV show when an ad came on for a deodorant brand. A very muscular man wearing boxer shorts and flexing his muscles burst through a wall screaming, saying that if you don’t use that brand of deodorant, you are not a man.I think this is one of the most ridiculous things in todays world because companies are literally picking apart the insecurities of their soon to be customers. Consumers guilt themselves into buying these products, thinking they owe it to themselves to make themselves better and closer to “perfect”, whatever that means. I hope that in the not so distant future, regulations will be set within the advertising businesses to not give out false hope or portray inaccurate senses of reality to people everywhere.
In conclusion, I do not think that athletes and sports models are at fault for the effects certain forms of advertisements have on consumers, especially children. However, I do believe that they need to take more responsibility as celebrities and realize that some of these advertising campaigns can really mess with peoples heads and emotions.
I liked the idea of comparing athletes to super heroes, and i made me remember how I looked up to Pedro Martinez when I was a wee lad.
ReplyDeleteALL HAIL THE WICKED WORM BEAST
Feeding off people's insecurities are definitely a major tool in advertising. The example you gave about the deodorant was funny and also a good one to point out the obnoxiousness of ads. Good job.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you thought that it is not the athletes fault, because usually they are just doing it to get their name out and get some money. I do not agree with the idea of regulations on these ads, because this is the job of the advertising agency and you must have media literacy to be able to pick it apart.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you added the self diagnosis piece in here. There's actually a commercial out now about it; it's of a doctor using a drill or something, and the voice over says something like "you wouldn't want your doctor doing your job, so why do you do his?" It's so true though, especially now that we have the internet and therefore the world at our fingertips. Overall, your post is very powerful. Talking about steroids was a good choice too, because a lot of people disregard the facts that so many athletes use them. Good job!
ReplyDeleteKevin--what about the fact that the athletes themselves are kind of like products--they are "branded," right? Should they stop "selling their souls" to corporations who mutate physical strength and accomplishment into a product? I mean, they just keep getting richer and richer. What is left of the actual sport but a spectacle of famous men from advertisements? I recognize that they are talented individuals. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteYou made really good observations about the advertising industry and how body image in the media can affect society. I think it's very damaging to have the media present such unrealistic expectations of the human body, usually weight loss for women and body building for men, but I can also see where the producers are coming from. Who would buy a product that advertized unhappiness or a crappy life? Everyone wants to be happy and have their lives be perfect, so if products can be used to make people believe that then they are much more likely to sell. Of course, it is actually counter productive to peoples happiness if they believe they are not good enough or that they need to be something other than who they are
ReplyDeleteThat comment by "Ben" up there is actually by me, Beth.
ReplyDelete