Victoria’s Secret Bra Advertisement Commentary:
Even within the few days this Advertisement aired on the Victoria’s Secret website, before being taken down, ironically the advert attracted a lot more attention then anticipated. The idealistic stereotypes of beauty and mis-representation of women are painfully explicit both visually and textually. Further still, this advertisement draws more then subtle connotations between race and beauty.
In this advertisement, even before reading the text, the first thing that jumps out at viewers is the similarities between the models. All nearly the exact same height and body shape, moreover their slightly tanned white skin almost forms a monotonous backdrop for the text in the front. This commonality implies that there is a ‘body’ for beauty. Rather then saying our product will make you beautiful, the effect created by the photo used in this advert says use our product inorder to look like us. Additionally, the word ‘perfect’ is used 4 times in this text, contributing almost intentionally to the stigma that there is a ‘perfect’ body. This exclusive representation of beauty puts pressure on women, especially young girls, to strive for this unrealistic and unachievable ‘perfect body’.
Equally as significant, whilst the text advertises ‘comfort’, the seductive glances and suggestive body language of the models alludes towards sexual intentions. These small yet prominent attributes falsely suggest that girls should select bras and outfits with the intent to look sexy and attractive to men, ultimately making statements about a woman’s role in society. Are women expected to always look good for men?
Finally, their is an obvious under-representation of models with non-white ethnicities. Being the face of female fashion in America and many places around the world, Victoria’s Secret has a responsibility to be inclusive of all races. Not only does this disregard beauty of other colors, but it also creates a vivid image of how women are perceived in white western cultures. Fashion and entertainment are two of the main outlets in which culture spreads around the world and if American women are being portrayed in this manner in fashion, it will cast a false shadow over the diverse population of women in America.
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