StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

The Fallacy of Diversity in Ethnically Ambiguous Advertisements - Admission/Application Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The paper "The Fallacy of Diversity in Ethnically Ambiguous Advertisements" states that marketers whiten dark models or use ethnically ambiguous models to emphasize diversity. In reality, they do this to keeping in line with the ideals of beauty and power, which is centred on whiteness…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER94.2% of users find it useful
The Fallacy of Diversity in Ethnically Ambiguous Advertisements
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The Fallacy of Diversity in Ethnically Ambiguous Advertisements"

16 July The Fallacy of Diversity in Ethnically Ambiguous Advertisements In 2008, L’Oreal released a print ad featuring Beyoncé that earned widespread criticism, because the company was alleged of lightening the skin and hair tone of the artist. For these critics, a black model is whitened to support the belief that whiteness is the ideal color of beauty and power. For the past few decades, racial diversity is made more evident in magazine and TV advertisements, through featuring models from different races.

A white model is no longer the one and only image seen in these advertisements; instead, models, who look ethnically ambiguous, are used in numerous TV and print ads. This paper argues, however, that these attempts are more focused on capturing a broader audience, without truly advocating racial diversity in the modeling industry and society, in general. Advertising on magazines reflect ethnic ambiguity to send the message that companies embrace racial diversity, although their choices of models and manicured pictures reveal the fallacy of promoting racial diversity.

Magazine advertisements increasingly employ ethnically ambiguous models to send the message that companies promote racial diversity, which is critical to their bottom-line. In Pimps Up, Hos Down: Hip Hops Hold on Young Black Women, Sharpley-Whiting discusses the rise of ethnically ambiguous models in print and TV ads. Fashion magazine editors, for instance, believe that “race mixing” is the new model standard (Sharpley-Whiting 30). In the journal article “Consumer Magazine Advertisement Portrayal of Models by Race in the US: An Assessment,” Peterson examines models from different races in consumer magazines.

She discovers that for these advertisements, minority models are projected positively and in increasing numbers. Hopper, in Understanding Cultural Globalization, explores globalization and its effect on cultural hybridization (146). For him, many companies find it beneficial to use models that have “cross-over appeals,” so that a larger market can be attracted to its products (Hopper 146). Numerous advertisement images are more directed toward broad audiences, because if narrowly-defined audiences were more targeted, models would be more representative of their ethnic/racial groups.

Either way, the company’s agenda is economic in nature. These advertising measures are mere tactics, however, that expose their unease in featuring darkly-colored models. Osei-Kofi, in the article “Multiracialization, Mixing, and Media Pedagogy,” asserts that that racial ambiguity serves commercial purposes more than social transformation goals. Ethnically ambiguous models are used, because they can attract more customers. They are not meant to change perceptions about beauty per se. Osei-Kofi stresses that when dark models are whitened, it shows that dark skin is still “stigmatized” (220).

The discomfort with darkly-colored models reveals underlying racial prejudice. Ethnic ambiguity is a ruse to preserve the prevailing white superiority in American culture. Osei-Kofi argues that there is a significant difference between using a dark-skinned black model and a light-skinned black model. Companies prefer the latter. If they do employ dark-skinned models, these models are whitened to suit prevailing modes of white beauty (Osei-Kofi 220). Hence, ethnic ambiguity is a euphemism for white standards of beauty.

It is an example of how mainstream American culture remains predominantly racist, while appearing racially diverse. Ethnic ambiguity in prints ads is a ruse for racial diversity. Advertising on magazines reveal ethnic ambiguity to send the message that companies embrace racial diversity. However, their choices of models and manicured pictures reveal the myth of promoting racial diversity. Marketers whiten dark models or use ethnically ambiguous models to emphasize diversity. In reality, they do this to keeping in line with the ideals of beauty and power, which is centered on whiteness.

Works Cited Hopper, Paul. Understanding Cultural Globalization. Massachusetts: Polity Press, 2007. Print. Osei-Kofi, Nana. Multiracialization, Mixing, and Media Pedagogy. Diverse Millennial Students in College: Implications for Faculty and Student Affairs. Eds. Fred A. Bonner, II, Aretha F. Marbley, and Mary F. Howard Hamilton. Vancouver: Stylus, 2011. 213-226. Print. Peterson, Robin T. “Consumer Magazine Advertisement Portrayal of Models by Race in the US: An Assessment.” Journal of Marketing Communications 13.3 (2007): 199-211. Web. 14 July 2012.

Advanced Placement Source. Sharpley-Whiting, T. Denean. Pimps Up, Hos Down: Hip Hops Hold on Young Black Women. New York: New York U P, 2007. Print.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(The Fallacy of Diversity in Ethnically Ambiguous Advertisements Admission/Application Essay, n.d.)
The Fallacy of Diversity in Ethnically Ambiguous Advertisements Admission/Application Essay. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/media/1600119-essay-3-advertisement
(The Fallacy of Diversity in Ethnically Ambiguous Advertisements Admission/Application Essay)
The Fallacy of Diversity in Ethnically Ambiguous Advertisements Admission/Application Essay. https://studentshare.org/media/1600119-essay-3-advertisement.
“The Fallacy of Diversity in Ethnically Ambiguous Advertisements Admission/Application Essay”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/media/1600119-essay-3-advertisement.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The Fallacy of Diversity in Ethnically Ambiguous Advertisements

Nissan Dualis: Park Perfectly

Conformity to Advertisement Theories and Strategies As learned from the course modules, it is relevant that advertisements contain an effective interplay of both visual and verbal contents to make the advertisement effective.... The advertisement that is selected to be comprehensively evaluated to comply with the requirements of the essay is Nissan Dualis: Park Perfectly print advertisement (shown below)....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay

Advertising Law

According to marketing and advertising rules and guidelines, consumers always impress upon the advertisements they see.... … According to marketing and advertising rules and guidelines, consumers always impress upon the advertisements they see.... The marketing agencies to attract the consumers make publicity of their product through different media....
10 Pages (2500 words) Essay

Hasty Generalizations

Such claims are found to be baseless, unfounded and of no strong evidence (Richard). Giving a real life example, there Philosophy fallacy Spotting fallacy Spotting: Hasty Generalizations A hasty observation, just as the words suggests, is such an observationthat is too wide with lots of broad generalizations and based on too little tangible evidence.... "fallacy: Hasty Generalization....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Comparative Advertisement as an Extremely Influential Tool

The policy statements were made so that the advertisers could benefit from it and re-evaluate their policy regarding comparative advertisements.... hellip; The commission only supports advertisements in which the comparisons are clearly stated and contain truthful information.... It allows productive comparison and encourages improvement in product and innovation with the help of such advertisements.... Ever since its approval, comparative advertisements have been compared to a double-edged sword in which it promotes one product whereas demotes the other....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

Advertisement Genre

Advertising has been considered as being a significant part of the daily life.... The essay "Advertisement Genre" tries to shed light on the various illustrations of genres concerning advertising types, which are applied to the importance of promoting ideas as well as products.... hellip; Ever advertisement is brought about with an intention of grasping the potential consumers' attention....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay

Purposely Ambiguous Language

This essay intends to affirm the hypothesis that purposely ambiguous language serves to provide opportunities for mental development especially in the areas of analytical thinking.... ambiguous language is one which is difficult to understand given two meanings that can be associated with it … The individual then will start to think of his experience of longest day and could travel back in time while reading the literary piece.... nbsp;  On the other hand, ambiguous language that is intentionally used in modern literature plays a very important role....
6 Pages (1500 words) Research Paper

Drug Advertisements

"Drug advertisements" paper states that consumers become involved by studying a product before buying it or consulting a doctor regarding health issues.... Food and Drug Administration, federal law doesn't allow their agency to control advertisements for all drugs but they can regulate such from prescription drugs.... They don't have the authority to review nor approve drug advertisements and their power over its release and content is very limited....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

The Issue of Bans on Tobacco Advertisements

This essay explores the issue of bans on tobacco advertisements that has become a matter of heated debate on a global scale.... Otherwise, without such outcomes, tobacco companies would not continue to knowingly and intentionally heavily invest in advertisements and price promotions.... Findings show that developing countries are yet to fully embrace the idea of bans on such advertisements....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us