Hairspray Advertising

Introduction

I was skimming through my magazine one evening, and I came across your “Sexy Hair” hairspray ad with a look alike of Marilyn Monroe clothed in a black robe. It is not as if the ad was out of place in my magazine, but I did take a double take of the picture. The woman is exceedingly attractive and has an obvious sex appeal. But I find myself thinking, what does this beautiful woman’s body, have to do with the product of hair spray? I then thought about other ads that included full body images but only to advertise a shoe, lip color, or eye shadow. There are many similarities between all these advertisements. The girls are normally pretty, slender, often times famous, and overall “pleasing to the eye.”
Now do not get me wrong,
The woman is kneeling, and the text is shaped to fit her kneeling position. This draws attention to her slim figure. Her feet are behind her, bare and pointed. Her right hand is dangling gracefully, and her left hand daintily hold her clothing together in the middle- just perfect so that a little skin is shown, but not enough to show too much. I do not think it was an ironic mistake that the hairspray and quote are in line with the her somewhat bare leg. The woman is in a very poised position, and almost looking as if she is saying, “dare me.” Does this image really make women think that if they buy the “sexy hair” product, they will look like her? I think a lot of women in today’s society have the need to look and feel sexy, and some will go to any extent to feel that way- even if that means buying “Big Sexy Hair” hair spray. But why is that? Because today we have such a sex saturated society. Porn sites and magazines are one of the most successful businesses that we have in the United States today. Women have to compete to be seen, it’s no wonder they will buy any product with a beautiful woman thinking that if they use it they will become the same