Am I Beautiful Yet? The Subconscious Effect Of Beauty Ads

Ads

As a frequent TikTok user, I’m no stranger to scrolling past ads that pop up on my feed. The second I see that small grey button on my screen that says “ad”, I simply swipe my thumb across my screen and move on. However, many content creators have been, I suspect, paid to advertise certain TikTok shop products. These products range from clothes, workout gear, hygiene products, and more. These types of ads are given away by the orange icon of a shopping cart with the product listen next to it above the caption.

Now, advertising isn’t something new. If there is a business, there is an advertisement. In my Marketing class, I’ve learned about different types of ads and how to effectively market to an audience. Many of the TikTok ads I see revolve around low or discounted prices, “viral” products, or of course the high quality. However, I’ve noticed that when it comes to female-oriented products, the advertisements become different.

Strategies

The few advertisements I’ve seen are for push-up bras, body hair oil, workout bands, and body hair remover. Though these products can generally be used for men as well, the only advertisements I’ve seen are of women. To start, one strategy I see often is almost like a guilt-trip: “Don’t be one of those hairy girls this summer, get this viral wax kit.” In this strategy, women are paid to sell a product by putting down other women, by making them feel bad for who they are. It instills a sense of embarrassment to those who may be interested in the product and convinces women that they will feel better once they buy it.

The second strategy I see is basically marketing with TMI. Many women value a sense of community among each other. Concepts like “girl code” and “sisterhood” are something that women collectively appreciate. This means that many women enjoy deep talks and “TMI” conversations. This idea has infiltrated the marketing scene. People market bras by referencing their own bodies in negative ways: “If you’re a flat chested girl like me, you need this bra.” They sell workout bands by talking about how flat they were before using it. By doing this, the seller gives themselves some sense of credibility, which they can use towards the viewer to prove that the product works.

The Effects

So, what does this mean for the consumers? Well, it’s obvious that all these products and these ads are aimed towards women, specifically young women. Personally, I am someone who will scroll past every ad and stop at these ones. Why? Well, when another woman is telling me how to look pretty, smell fresh, and attract attention, why wouldn’t I listen? To see dozens of these ads every day is detrimental to how young girls view themselves. When a handful of push-up bra ads pop up, it’s hard not to be embarrassed of having a flat chest. When dozens of ads for fat-reducing gummies appear, it’s almost impossible to ignore one’s own weight.

By pushing these types of ads into the faces of impressionable youth, society is reinforcing harmful beauty standards. It is creating a sense of instability within women and building upon what insecurity already exists. Now I think it’s unrealistic, especially in our capitalist nation, to completely stop these ads. Companies want money, and this is what they know how to do. However, I think it’s important to reinstate within women the idea that they don’t need six-hundred soaps and creams to look beautiful. I understand the feeling of insecurity and the need to push it away by temporarily covering it up. However, these products won’t help. They are being sold for the profit and not to aid the needs of the consumer. The constant consumption of these ads has led to subconscious insecurity fed to women in short-form media.

One thousand products won’t fix the insecurity women feel towards themselves. A positive self image comes from the realization of self worth despite whatever promise a product can make.