Lines on men’s faces…
Alright, correct me if I’m wrong here…
Hasn’t every man ever deemed attractive or as a sex symbol had lines on their face and around their eyes? I mean, wasn’t Sean Connery voted as a sex symbol a few years ago! George Clooney has lines, every “attractive” man seems to have face lines.
But not anymore! A certain product (can’t remember name right now) has an ad with a man going up an escalator and a woman going down. She checks him out – after all, he is a hot guy. He checks her out and then we see she looks disgusted! Cue the voiceover “Guys, you think those a good eye lines, she thinks you look haggered”.
*gasp*
Hold the phone here missy. Are we just taking a a dig at attractive lines? It appears so – I figured ‘hey, maybe I’m wrong’ so I asked my girlfriend and a few other women. The result all being that lines are attractive, so where the hell did this myth come from?
No, wait – I’ve got it. It’s a stab at making men feel as insecure as women so they can start making as much money off us. If we were as unhappy as women with our appearence then there would be double the money to be made.
This world makes me sick.
a feminist said,
July 27, 2006 at 12:00 pm
I think you’re onto something with your penultimate paragraph. Some marketing guru’s realised that the beauty care industry’s previous tactic of alienating one half of the population just doesn’t add up when it comes to profit margins. So they’ve branched out into new territory. (This sort of situation can also be seen in the gaming industry, with roles reversed of course — traditionally a male domain, now publishers are targeting the untapped market of female players to boost revenue). And what better way to push the message than play on men’s newly developing insecurity with their self-image, kindly aided along by a member of the opposite sex (in this case, a woman)? The formula has worked so well when aimed at young women, after all! No wonder we’re seeing increasing numbers of eating disorders, spiralling consumer debt, etc. Rather than appearance becoming less important over time, as one would hope, it seems like men are becoming “just another target market” for the industry. I can only fear this will get worse over time.
Laura said,
July 27, 2006 at 7:41 pm
“No, wait – I’ve got it. It’s a stab at making men feel as insecure as women so they can start making as much money off us. If we were as unhappy as women with our appearence then there would be double the money to be made.”
Got it in one!
Welcome to blogging btw
Fanny Blood said,
July 28, 2006 at 1:00 pm
it’s not fair to actually feel glee at hearing about this advert but it would be nice for men to know what women go through even if for a wee while.
LB said,
July 29, 2006 at 9:37 pm
Mmmm looks like the Media’s just about saturated its self with us, so now it’s starting on you guys! Welcome to blogging BTW came here via Ms v
a feminist said,
July 30, 2006 at 2:40 pm
Oh — how odd. I commented on this entry before Laura and when it didn’t show I assumed moderation was in place. But it still hasn’t appeared
timebombted said,
July 30, 2006 at 5:52 pm
Hey all,
Thanks for the comments! I know you probably all came here because Ms. V but visitors are visitors nontheless.
Well, to address points made – I feel that I’m entitled to feel a little angry about this just as women are entitled to feel angry after being targetted for years on the subject. I wouldn’t say it’s “nice for men” to feel what women go through. I mean, it’s fair – but not nice.
Either way I figured it would only be a matter of time until this happened. I think it could go either way though personally, men aren’t generally as self concious as women are – but then, we haven’t been exposed to as many years of advertising wearing at our brains!
Time will tell I guess. The youthful looking plastic future awaits!
a feminist said,
August 5, 2006 at 11:49 am
Ted, could you check your spam comments because I commented on this and it hasn’t shown up (and this one might go the same way…)
a feminist said,
August 5, 2006 at 11:50 am
Gah!
timebombted said,
August 6, 2006 at 9:42 am
Hey ‘a feminist’,
Sorry about not getting these checked earlier, I’ve been off here for a bit and I didn’t know about the spam thing – lord knows why it was classed as spam anyway?
You’ve accurately explained just what I was trying to get across. I’m just waiting for the day when plastic surgery adverts appear on TV!
“Feeling down, depressed and unhappy in your appearence? Having troubled pleasing men with your ‘endownment’? Wash away those feelings with surgery, get a nose fix, a boob job, lyposuction and more! Because BEAUTY MATTERS.
I share your “gah!”
a feminist said,
August 6, 2006 at 11:05 am
Ah, the same thing’s happened with another couple of blogs I surf re: the spam thing, one owner explained that it was the email address provided that might be the problem.
Seems to be sorted now – thanks