A New Generation of Ads for Women?- Brands Encourage Awareness

Advertisements serve one purpose: to sell a product, enticing as many consumers as possible to go out and buy the product their advertising. But what if these ads could serve another purpose as well? Recently, I have noticed a variety of unique advertisements on YouTube as well as mainstream television; these ads are encouraging awareness of stereotypes that women have to deal with. These are ads made by companies whose target consumers are women, such as Covergirl and Pantene. The labels and stereotypes are interesting because they are the kind of barriers that many people are not fully conscious of. For example, there is a Pantene commercial asking why women "are always saying apologizing?".  What an excellent question. These ads are bringing forth important issues that women have to face every day and making us aware that they exist and need to change.

                What sparked this is new array of ads? It is hard to say. There is a growing acceptance of liberal social ideas in mainstream medias, such as growing presence and accurate representation of the LGBT community, disabled persons, or showing families that do not fit the 'all-American' nuclear family format. When there is a more accurate representation of minority or disadvantaged groups, like the LGBT community for example, society becomes more conscious of the fact that 'established' and accepted ideas, labels, and structures are not the only ones which exist or are allowable, or even accurate at all. This broadens society's minds and this is when stereotypes start to lose their legitimacy and people start to ask important questions. These ads do just this. So, maybe people will see that women are just another group that has been stereotypes and needs to be represented more accurately.

                What could be the consequences of these ads? Sadly, I have only seen one of these ads on mainstream television. The others I viewed on Youtube. Although YouTube has many viewers, most of them of a younger generation, narrowing its viewers to one part of the population. It would help if more of these ads were played on mainstream television. Nonetheless, these ads could have an impact, even if it is small. It seems that the goal of these ads is get people thinking about the stereotypes, labels, and barriers that women have to face in their daily lives. This is really all that is necessary. All it takes is one person asking questions and really thinking for great events to occur and for things to start to change. As they say, a single raindrop raises the sea. 

                Is this a new generation of ads for young women? The important thing is that these ads exist and are out there in the web. If these ads are a new sector of ads for female empowerment is another question. It is hard to say, but if these ads catch on, we may be seeing more advertisers empowering their viewers to breakdown stereotypes (and also buy their products).

Here are some of the advertisements I have seen:

This ad illustrates the double standard that women have to endure, especially strong, influencial, and intelligent women trying to succeed in the world. It features a young man in a corporate office described as "the boss" whereas a woman in the same position is described as "bossy". Clear and to the point. Sheryl Sandberg would like. 

This ad takes a more 'obvious' approach to showing that women can do whatever they want with their lives. This ad features strong female role models such as P!nk, Ellen Degeneres, and Queen Latifah describing what one would assume to be statements that they were one told about girls, about what girls "can't do"; they then say that girls can. Nice, short, and personal. You go! 

This ad was impressive in that it asks a question that many people are probably not conscious of. "Why are women always apologizing?". A very, very good question. This is something that women do constantly, and it is expected. It is expected because women are not "supposed" to interrupt and take up too much space or voice an idea. This ad brings attention to the issue society often has with women and their ideas and opinions- being entitled to them, sharing them, and owning them. What's even better is that it brings attention to this issue while also telling women "don't be sorry"- voice your opinion, speak up, you deserve just as much space in this world as anyone else.