Aspects Involved in the Development of Adolescent Body Image - Essay Example

? Body Image Aspects Involved In the Development of Adolescent Body Image The Nivea Visage advert features Akademi Fantasia’s star Marsha Londoh. In the advert, the star talks of how having oil free and beautiful looking skin while on stage (which comes after using Nivea visage helps her feel more confident. She goes on to say that having beautiful skin gives her the freedom to enjoy herself. The advert goes on to say that the product (Nivea visage deep pore control foam) contains carntine, which cleanses the skin making it look soft and beautiful. The advert can be viewed from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTO-V4qdLS8 The product targets the young female between the age of 15 and 35. This is why the celebrity Marsha Londoh was chosen as she has the ability to reach the target audience. The advert was developed mainly for the Malaysian market. Females hence they are the target audience for the advert mainly use the product. The advert sends the message that for one to be beautiful, one must have a great and soft skin. The advert also sends the message that our appearance is judged mainly on the appearance of the skin. These are the overt messages that are sent by the advert. The advert also contains the subliminal message that when one considers themselves beautiful, then their confidence levels will automatically be high. It also sends the message that one needs to make extra effort in achieving the desired beautiful skin. This advert would only appeal to the target audience who are the female viewers. The viewers would interpret it to mean that the product will help them achieve the beauty and confidence that they desire. To the male audience, the advert may have a very low level of appeal if any. The advert portrays body image as coming from appearance, and that when one feels beautiful, then they will be more confident. This is an accurate portrayal of body image as what one thinks of himself is reflected in the self-esteem, which includes the confidence level that a person will have. The ad is therefore accurate in portraying the need for one to have a beautiful skin in relation to the body image that the person will have. This ad would be appealing to the adolescent as this is one of the age brackets that is most concerned with their appearance. It is also at this age that the adolescent is dealing with skin problems such as oily skin and pimples. This advert would therefore appeal to them as it presents them with a solution for the skin problems that they face. The choice of Marsha Londoh to advertise the product also makes the advert much more appealing as she is one of the stars that this age group would look up to. She is perceived as beautiful and confident and the adolescent group would therefore want to emulate her and be as beautiful and confident as she is. The marketers’ decision to use the content and imagery that they have used in the advert is so that the advert can appeal to a wide audience of women. Their choice of content is because they have identified the need that every woman has to feel beautiful. They therefore chose the content and imagery that will help the target audience identify the product as meeting these needs. Reference Nivea Visage Dandelion TVC. Available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTO-V4qdLS8 Part 2 Body image refers to how a person thinks and feels about their body image. For young people, the body image is linked to the self-esteem of a person as a how a person perceives their appearance, and how they think others perceive their appearance is important to how a person feels about themselves, and consequently on how they will relate to other people. Most people are dissatisfied with their physical appearance. It is important for one to develop a positive body image especially during the adolescent years. Several factors influence the development of body image. These factors include the perceptions that are held by the society on what is considered beautiful. If a person feels that they do not fit the society’s prescription of beauty, then they are likely to have a negative body image. The main factor that can be seen to influence the development of body image can be seen to be the mass media. This includes print media, radio and television, and the internet. People are constantly bombarded with the images of what beauty should be. This may cause people to develop a negative body image if they feel that they do not fit what has been presented as beautiful by the media. Peers also influence the development of the body image. When young, people want to fit within a given social group. This means that they aspire to look like their peers. If they do not look like their peers, they may have a negative body image. Resources Leit, R. (2001). The media's representation of the ideal male body: A cause for muscle dysmorphia? Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering. 61 (8-B). This resource discusses the role that the media plays in the formation of the body image by men. This is done by presenting the ‘ideal body’. In the quest for the ideal body presented, the young men may end up developing muscle dysmorphia. This resources is important to parents as it will help them guide their teens in recognising the media’s role in the formation of their body image and consequently achieve satisfaction with their bodies. Wienshenker, N. (2002). Adolescents and Body Image: What is Typical and what is Not. Child Study Centre. November 29, 2011. Retrieved from http://www.aboutourkids.org/files/articles/mar_apr_2.pdf The journal discusses various elements concerned with body image. This resource discusses the issues that the adolescents go through in the course of their body image formation. This resource is important, as it will help the parent in determining what to expect as their child reaches maturity. Welcome to the National Eating Disorders Association. We are glad you found us. Retrieved from http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org This site contains lot of well-researched information on how a family can cope with having one of their children suffering from an eating disorder. It also deals with the various body image issues that push a person to developing an eating disorder and how these issues can be addressed. Ikeda J, Naworki, P. (1992). Am I fat? Helping young children accept differences in body size. Santa Cruz, CA: ETR Associates. This book addresses the different issues that children face in accepting their body sizes when compared to those of other children. The book is important in gaining knowledge on how one can help a child accept their body size. http://www.empoweredparents.com/ This site contains information on how parents can encourage their children to have healthy eating habits. It also has information on how parents can help their children avoid developing eating disorders because of a negative body image. Adolescent Girls and Body Image. Retrieved from http://www.socialworkers.org/practice/adolescent_health/ah0204.asp The issues that face girls during their adolescent years in relation to body image are addressed. It also addresses the various eating disorders that may affect girls during adolescence. Olson, G. (2008). Teenage Girls: Exploring Issues Adolescent Girls Face and Strategies to Help Them. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. The book addresses the issues faced by adolescent girls one of which is the issues to do with body image. The book also addresses how those around a teenage girl can shape her perception of self and what they can do to ensure that a positive body image is formed. Nowak, M. (1998). The Weight-Conscious Adolescent: Body Image, Food Intake, and Weight-Related Behavior. Journal of Adolescent health, 23 (6) 389-398 This journal article talk of the issues that adolescents have when it comes to their weight and the attempts that they make to lose weight. Hargreaves, D. Tiggemann, M. (2004). Idealized media images and adolescent body image: “comparing” boys and girls. Body Image, 1 (4) 351-361 The main source of poor or negative body image is the unrealistic ideals of beauty that the society has set, and which is transmitted through the media. Girls are more likely to be affected by these images than the boys. McCoy, K. Et al. (1999). The teenage body book. New York: Penguin books. The book addresses the various issues faced by the teenagers in relation to their bodies as they develop into adulthood and how parents can help the teenagers cope with the changes in their bodies and be comfortable. Kostanki, M. Gullone, E. (2003). Adolescent Body Image Dissatisfaction: Relationships with Self-esteem, Anxiety, and Depression Controlling for Body Mass. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 39 (2) 255–262. This journal article talks of the issues that adolescents have when it comes to their weight and appearance and how it affects their self-esteem. Body Image and Self Esteem Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/body_image/body_image.html The site discusses the various elements concerned with body image and how body image is formed. The influences to body image are also discussed. Read More