Media and society- analyze advertisements - Essay Example

For the young women who read the magazine, the first thing they see when they look at the cover is a young woman whom she could actually be. The magazine encourages the young women to dream big, dream high, and work towards achieving their goals in life. This is something the magazine does through a string of empowerment articles and advertising campaigns within their pages that advocate the message of the magazine. There seems to be a constant requirement for the print ads appearing in the magazine, that of using young and vibrant color schemes that easily attract the eye.

The models used also fit a certain criteria that shines the spotlight on them as the epitome of an American teenager, someone all female teens should aspire to be or at least, look like. The teenagers used in the advertisments all came from middle class to upper class households and exemplified the perceived image of the ideal teenage lifestyle and successes. Demographics wise, the magazine does not represent itself as the reading material for anyone over the age of 18. As the name of the magazine itself implies, “Seventeen” is the magazine that every adolescent and puberty gripped American teenage girl should be reading. . In fact, I found that some of the articles sounded more like veiled advertising and promotions for various products rather than truly teen empowering articles meant to positively influence the young minds of its readers.

I first came across this sentiment when I opened the magazine and was greeted by the Fuschia pink advertising for a mascara product that called itself “Scandal Eyes” by Rimmel of London. The model that was used for the advertisment did not look like an average teenager. Rather, she looked more like an up and coming executive instead of the fun loving and care free youth that the color of the product implied. Even the slogan for the product seemed rather suspect to me, “Steal the show”.

The ad carried the messages of promoting a selfish and self-centered lifestyle that demanded the user be the center of attention. In one glance, the product taught a young, impressionable teenager to be wordly and seductive in order to get ahead. Another advertisement that caught my eye in the magazine was the one for Duck Tape. It showed a unique looking couple dressed in what the advertisement seems to be promoting as colorful duct tape to the prom in leiu of actual prom clothes. The advertisment which challenges the teens to “Wear Duck Tape to the Prom” for the chance to win a scholarship is, highly creative advertising.

It is this kind of advertisment that challenges the reader to do something extraordinary in his life in order to achieve a goal. In this case, wear a dress or tux made of Duck Tape to the prom, get the chance to win a scholarship. The ad delivered the meaning that people who look unique have a great potential to succeed in the world and there are people willing and ready to support their unique dreams and ability.