Given that Kellogg’s Special K basically markets itself as a diet food, my expectations for their advertising campaigns were already low. However, they have really outdone themselves with their new campaign, based around the question: “What will you gain when you lose?” In the commercials, women stand on bathroom scales that reflect buzzwords back at them:… Continue Reading →
Disney’s “Sofia the First” still tells kids to be pretty princesses
Disney is adding a new member to their popular princess lineup, and she’s aimed directly at the youngest generation. Sofia, the title character of an upcoming TV movie (and series), “Sofia the First”, brings something new to the Disney table: she’s the first Disney princess who’s also a kid. While I can’t find any sources… Continue Reading →
Lady Gaga’s “Marry the Night” video makes the psych ward seem hot
By now, Lady Gaga fans have probably already seen her latest: a fourteen-minute opus that is allegedly a music video for her song “Marry the Night”. I say “allegedly” because the song itself doesn’t even start until nearly nine minutes in, after an extended sequence where Gaga narrates about trauma and we get to witness her… Continue Reading →
NBC’s Parks and Recreation promotes feminism for everyone
As a media consumer, I usually have more to criticize than praise. Our televisions are constantly filled with stick-thin celebrities, diet ads, and negative messages about women’s bodies. So when a show has a woman-positive, even feminist message, it deserves recognition. Enter Parks and Recreation, a sitcom about small government in the fictional town of… Continue Reading →
Will male objectification persuade us to check our breasts?
Rethink Breast Cancer harnesses the power of viral advertising with their new app, Your Man Reminder, but is objectification ever OK? In the promo ad, a doctor admits that since “studies have shown that women are more likely to watch a video if it features a hot guy”, he can’t discuss breast cancer with the… Continue Reading →
Dear Glamour, loving your body is never dangerous
In a recent article in Glamour, body image activist Jess Weiner describes a health scare that made her re-evaluate her relationship with her body. At 250 pounds, with high cholesterol and low blood sugar, her doctor informed her she was pre-diabetic. Weiner made some lifestyle changes, dropped 25 pounds, and found herself with a clean… Continue Reading →