Annotations

1. Mary C Martin and Cara Okleshen Peters, “Exploring adolescent girls' identification of beauty types through consumer collages,” Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management 9, no. 4 (2005): 391, http://proquest.umi.com.libproxy.usc.edu/pqdweb?did=930054891&sid=1&Fmt=4&clientId=4676&RQT=309&VName=PQD (accessed February 20, 2007).


In the Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Mary Martin and Cara Okleshen Peters wrote and article titled, “Exploring adolescent girls’ identification of Beauty Types Through Consumer Collages.” This 2005 article, engages in a conversation about the impact commercial and popular culture has on their perceptions of valued beauty. The article begins by giving an overall analysis of advertising’s impact on females and the pressures that come along with it. They referece a number of studies dealing with this objective. For example in Posavac et al. women voiced high weight concerns when exposed to media as opposed to neutral images. Then the article outlines the “multidementional” aspect of beauty. Finally the study’s methodology is revealed. The case included females ages seven to thirteen from local or regional organizatons. These participants were give fourty seven photos of models and were asked to sort them out based on similarity. Then they were asked to select the picture they thought would represent their grown up self. The one they thought least represented them. Lastly the girls were asked to create a collage of each model and the way they would live, their style… etc. to do this they were supplied with a list of items. What they found were multiple distinctions between the “pretty” and the “ugly.” They also proved that “socially desirable traits” increased the likeability of the model. Lastly they concluded that today’s youth is more “mature, media-savvy, and culturally experienced than past generations.” This study revealed what girls considered to be beautiful and ugly and were able to differenciate between both categorical lifestyles.

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1. Joyce Y Karpay, “Critical Condition: Feminism at the Turn of the Century / Deadly Persuasion: Why Women and Girls Must Fight the Addictive Power of Advertising,” NWSA Journal 13, no. 1 (Spring 2001): 189, http://proquest.umi.com.libproxy.usc.edu/pqdweb?did=71500707&sid=6&Fmt=3&clientId=4676&RQT=309&VName=PQD (accessed February 20, 2007).


"Critical Condition: Feminism and the Turn of the Century/ Deadly Persuasion: Why Women and Girl Must Fight the Addictive Power of Advertising," written in 2001 by Joyce Karpay was featured in the NWSA Journal. The article reviews the two books referenced in the title to illustrate the harsh truth about advertising's influence on society, specifically girls. The author outlines each book by summarizing some important points and interesting quotes. She informs her readers that one simply attacks the tobacco, food and alcohol industry, where as the other talks about the history of advertising's influence and applies complex theories to her analysis. The first book, written by Susan Gubar analyzes how women from different places, ethnicities or races have different experiences as a woman. Each one deals with different issues and comes to understand her role as a female as something completely different. According to Karapy, she also references her own Jewish Heritage and speaks of her struggles of coming o terms with the male authority. The second book however takes on a different approach. Kilbourne, targets the food, tobacco and alcohol indurtries and reveals how they have created what she refers to as the “toxic culture.” She suggests that these companies unintentionally target children, appeal to them and cause them to consume their products. For example, she backs up that information by saying that 90% of smokers start smoking before the age of 18. she concludes by saying that both books will “prove powerful resources for those teaching feminist issues,” because they are informative in that respect.