Ethical Issues Designers Might Encounter

There has always been a debate surrounding women and how they are depicted in advertisements. Nowadays, they are commonly used as a sex symbol or displayed simply as having the perfect face and body. Many people feel that advertising is responsible for problems in our society such as low self-esteem and anorexia. However, not all advertisements display an unreal body image – there are many ads and companies that show what one would consider a “real” woman.

An experiment in 1991 demonstrated that women were “less satisfied with their own physical appearance after they viewed advertisements featuring thin, attractive models” and there is evidence to prove that “exposure to thin media images can negatively affect body-image perception and assessment of one’s own attractiveness” (Smeesters, Dirk and Naomi Mandel. “Positive and Negative Media Image Effects on the self.” Journal of Consumer Research.)

In 2005, Dove beauty products launched a campaign promoting “Real Beauty.” The models in their advertisements included women of various shapes, sizes, and colors. Their reasoning for the campaign launch was quite simple: “For too long, beauty has been defined by narrow, stifling stereotypes. Women have told us it's time to change all that. Dove agrees. We believe real beauty comes in many shapes, sizes and ages… Dove's global Campaign for Real Beauty aims to change the status quo and offer in its place a broader, healthier, more democratic view of beauty” (http://campaignforrealbeauty.com).

I remember when this campaign first came out in the states (I'm not quite sure if they did something similar here in the U.K.) and how refreshing it was. As a graphic designer, I often find it troubling that there is a good chance my future will lie in airbrushing and photoshopping images to perfection. Should I still consider pursuing a career in design and advertising even if I disagree with the messages that are given through these ads? Does it make more sense to follow the path to money and security or can I still design without having to question my morals every day?


(note to Jennifer: I think I posted my first blog entry as a comment, if you have trouble finding it.)