Ads altering physical beauty? Maybe not.

I don't think that ads such as the Dove "Campaign For Real Beauty" actually alter the image physical beauty. Why? Well, one of my favorite magazines is Teen Vogue and EVERY model is super thin and tan. Not only are these models thin, but the clothes and/or products they are advertising are typically high-end. Most people who can afford such products can also usually afford a personal trainer and are generally, but not always, thin. Personally, I am fairly indifferent to ads, and therefore I don't think I would pay attention to an ad less or more if it had models that looked like me. I do think that ads vary by age because the Dove campaign is targeted at women, "real women" who have probably had children and do carry extra weight while Teen Vogue is targeted at teens who want to be thin. I think the Dove ads appeal to the pathos of women because it features confident women who are not afraid to show their bodies and Dove is trying to show women of all sizes that they do not have to be afraid of their body.