Advertising Can Be Dangerous
Posted on: March 6th, 2015
Here’s a simple question worth pondering – what are products? The short answer is that products are solutions for problems. But there are millions of products on the market, so it begs the question, do we have millions of problems that need solving? Of course not.
This is a conundrum for advertisers. So sometimes, in order to sell products, they must first invent problems and then sell us their “solutions”. This may sound like a harmless manipulation, but it’s not. The messaging and images in some advertising can have a serious psychological impact on people.
Since my speciality is eating disorders, I study advertising trends in the food, diet, beauty and fashion industries. Research supports that these industries, by and large, advertise in a way that can lead people to develop a negative body image – and negative body image is often a catalyst for disordered eating.
Unfortunately, these advertisers perpetuate many false ideals. For example, “you can have a cellulite-free body,” “you should have a gap between your thighs,” “you shouldn’t be able to pinch an inch,” “the Grapefruit Diet will make you skinny.” They emphasize that if you just use their product then your problem will be solved and you’ll be a perfect person. We fall prey to advertising because frankly advertisers are really good at what they do. They continuously bombard us with compelling ads that include flawless (photoshopped) bodies and it works – we buy in.
The most damaging psychological consequences begin after you’ve tried the product and it doesn’t fulfill its promise. The Grapefruit Diet leads to short term weight loss and then you gain it all back and more. The skinny jeans don’t flatter your body type. The cream doesn’t remove the cellulite. You’re left feeling that the fault must be with you. You are flawed, you are less-than, you are broken.
What I’ve witnessed in my practice is that these “failures” pile up and can eventually lead to persistent feelings of shame, negative body image and in some cases can trigger eating disorders. Maureen Kritzer-Lange Psychotherapy can offer relief for those suffering with negative body image and eating disorders. Please contact info@maureenkritzerlange.com or call (973) 313-1691.
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