Hi Guiltfreedonuters!
Here is the second post of my school blog project. If you didn’t see the first one, please look back at previous posts for “Picture Perfect.” It explains there why I believe this relates to fashion and more about the project.
Tomorrow I will have a new post and a list of my favorite bloggers. Also, Sunday I will be attending the NYFW Diane Von Furstenberg show, so be sure to check back Sunday night for coverage! (I can hardly wait!)
Image Source: http://www.culthub.com/advertising-watchdog-bans-two-airbrushed-adverts/2271/
Last week I shared the video called “The Photoshop Effect“. The video suggests that we should put a warning label on every image that is altered, instead of banning photoshop completely. The goal of these labels would be to alert viewers that the photos were digitally enhanced and to create awareness of the amount of photos that are edited by sending the message to the viewers that the body they see in the magazine isn’t realistic. This would ultimately promote their self-esteem, which, as mentioned in the previous post, has been significantly impacted by the amount of photoshopping in the media today.
Another solution is to ban photoshopped images altogether. In the UK, the Advertisement Standards Authority has already banned many advertisements for photos that were “misleadingly exaggerated” or “excessively retouched.” L’Oreal, Maybelline and Lancôme (as pictured above) are three of the many cosmetic brands that have had their advertisements banned.
The ASA has said that “While advertisers are not prohibited from altering or enhancing images in all circumstances, if they do decide to reach for the airbrush, they have to be careful not to exaggerate the capability or performance of a product.”
I believe that the US should be doing the same as the UK. While having labels may help spread awareness of the amount of photoshopped images, the photo is still unrealistic. Why should advertisements be promoting a result that is impossible to achieve with or without their product? Should the US be banning advertisements as well? What do you think should be done? Should photoshop usage be banned for good?
http://asa.org.uk/Resource-Centre/Hot-Topics/Cosmetic.aspx
http://www.culthub.com/advertising-watchdog-bans-two-airbrushed-adverts/2271/
