Thursday
Jun072012
Advertising, Mom Bloggers, "Real" Moms, and the Purpose of Advertising
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Today Jessica Gottlieb posted about a new Cool Whip ad campaign featuring mom bloggers. The campaign is being promoted on the Cool Whip facebook page and Jessica's post discusses some of the critical comments that were made about the campaign.
A lot of the comments suggested that the moms should be more "real", meaning not all thin, pretty and put together. These moms are very much "real" (I've even met some of them), but that doesn't mean they are representative of what you might see on the playground on any given Saturday afternoon.
The dilemma, however, between the critique of advertising and the purpose of advertising, is that if you see a fat, stressed out, mom wearing ketchup and ice cream stained clothing, you aren't likely to buy Cool Whip. You may empathize with the mom and relate to her, but you won't want to be her and you won't feel like Cool Whip will help you be more like her. You see, advertising doesn't speak to our critical thinking abilities. "The entire purpose of advertising," as Marion Nestle said today, "is to slip below the radar of critical thinking" (via @AppetiteforProfit on twitter). As much as everyone really knows that Cool Whip isn't going to make you thin, beautiful or put together, your subconscious wants to believe that it will and doesn't want to be reminded of the cruel truth that it really isn't good for you and isn't going to do you any favours.
The Dove campaign a few years ago that showed women of different shapes and sizes was a bit different. Soap doesn't really impact your size one way or another, so showing women with a wide range of body sizes is not a big deal and may in fact be a great way to promote their product. For Cool Whip, however, showing diversity in body size may simply have reminded people of things they want to forget as they purchase their Cool Whip.
I know that there are women who are happy with their bodies, regardless of the size, and that is great. But there is also still a huge diet culture, fat shaming, and fat hating element of our culture and if Cool Whip wants to sell to that segment of the population, it has to get past their critical thinking (and label reading) abilities with an image that tells you that you can consume Cool Whip and be skinny and happy too.
What do you think? Could Cool Whip show truly representative moms and still sell its product? Or does it need to sell a certain image, which these moms represent?
A lot of the comments suggested that the moms should be more "real", meaning not all thin, pretty and put together. These moms are very much "real" (I've even met some of them), but that doesn't mean they are representative of what you might see on the playground on any given Saturday afternoon.
The dilemma, however, between the critique of advertising and the purpose of advertising, is that if you see a fat, stressed out, mom wearing ketchup and ice cream stained clothing, you aren't likely to buy Cool Whip. You may empathize with the mom and relate to her, but you won't want to be her and you won't feel like Cool Whip will help you be more like her. You see, advertising doesn't speak to our critical thinking abilities. "The entire purpose of advertising," as Marion Nestle said today, "is to slip below the radar of critical thinking" (via @AppetiteforProfit on twitter). As much as everyone really knows that Cool Whip isn't going to make you thin, beautiful or put together, your subconscious wants to believe that it will and doesn't want to be reminded of the cruel truth that it really isn't good for you and isn't going to do you any favours.
The Dove campaign a few years ago that showed women of different shapes and sizes was a bit different. Soap doesn't really impact your size one way or another, so showing women with a wide range of body sizes is not a big deal and may in fact be a great way to promote their product. For Cool Whip, however, showing diversity in body size may simply have reminded people of things they want to forget as they purchase their Cool Whip.I know that there are women who are happy with their bodies, regardless of the size, and that is great. But there is also still a huge diet culture, fat shaming, and fat hating element of our culture and if Cool Whip wants to sell to that segment of the population, it has to get past their critical thinking (and label reading) abilities with an image that tells you that you can consume Cool Whip and be skinny and happy too.
What do you think? Could Cool Whip show truly representative moms and still sell its product? Or does it need to sell a certain image, which these moms represent?
Reader Comments (51)
I think there is something in between the "super model mom" and the "fat stressed out mom with ketchup all over her." I don't think there's anything wrong with showing more realistic looking moms on commercials......we're not stupid! We know Cool-whip won't turn us into a put-together fashion plate super model mom! DUH! I think using these "perfect unrealistic looking women with oodles of thick bouncy cascading hair and according to "science of beauty" perfect faces and cleavage showing, etc...just puts MORE PRESSURE on us ordinary women to "measure up" all the time. I think MALE executives are choosing these actresses to portray moms....and really, I for one just find it irritating. I'm much more likely to buy a product from a REALISTIC looking woman, and believe what she is telling me...(hear that, advertisers)?