It’s been a big year for women empowerment.
Companies such as Pantene, Always, and Cover Girl have bombarded the advertising world with commercials that refute negative stereotypes and prejudices towards women.
However, it is hard to tell whether their messages are graciously and thankfully taken by the girls, or if they’re just viewed as an extraneous promotion of feminism that is either responded with exasperation or indifference.
Dove, the leader of women empowerment ads, released two viral beauty commercials that sought out to shoot down women insecurity and assert that all women are beautiful just as they are.
In their “Camera Shy” ad, women avoid the camera and are then asked, “When did you stop thinking you’re beautiful?” It then cuts to small clips of little girls who distinguishably, exert self-confidence as they dance around and laugh in front of the camera.
Although beauty is the main product of these cosmetics, and feminine care companies, their message has shifted from voluminous, glowing hair, flawless skin, and bold lashes, to real, strong, and bold women who all deserve to have a voice. Pantene’s “Not Sorry” commercial in their Shine Strong campaign poses the question, “Why are women always apologizing?” urging woman to stop apologizing unnecessarily and to be more assertive.
In Cover-Girl’s “Girl’s Can” commercial, influential artists, actors, and business women such as Katy Perry, Ellen Degeneres, and Pink all start the commercial by saying, “girls can’t,” a comment that girls often hear, but mostly feel. “Girl’s can’t rock.” Girl’s can’t dance.” “Girl’s can’t sing.” “Girls can’t own their own business.” Then comes a dramatic transition to Queen Latifah saying, “Girl’s can.”
But, there is no denying the conception that “being a girl” is usually associated with weakness, un-athleticism, and materialism. Girls are always told to act feminine— remain poised and look pretty.
Always’ “Like a Girl” commercial shows how young girls are affected by gender stereotypes as “being a girl” or “running like a girl.” In response to the shift in public opinion, athletic companies and non-feminine care companies, such as Nike and Adidas have released commercials to encourage women to strive for great heights in sports, and to keep winning.
However, although it is inspiring to some, it is insulting to other women. To some, the commercials suggest that women need constant reminders from Always, Pantene, or Dove that they are valuable.
This prejudice against women decreased in the sense of a patriarchal society. Unfortunately, prejudice still affects women today.
Even after women made strides towards equality and strengthened their voice, and even after women became 50 percent of college graduates in the Unites States, men still take hold of a vast majority of leadership positions in government and industry.
Despite the dramatic change in women’s roles, the number of women in high leadership positions is minimal. In Fortune 500 companies, women constitute only 4% of the top officers, 3% of the most highly paid officers, and 0.4% of CEOs, and in U.S politics, only 13% of women are senators, 14% congressional representatives, and 10% state governors, and although 30% of lawyers are women, women make up only 15% of law firm partners and 5% managing partners in large firms.
A new Verizon commercial relays a powerful ad that cites an unfortunate statistic from the National Science Foundation: 66% of 4th grade girls say they like science and math, but only 18% of all college engineering majors are female. The commercial shows little girls who wander curiously around nature, observing and experimenting, but then they are reminded not to ruin their dress, shoes, or hair. A little girl is building something but is then stopped by her dad because it is too dangerous. The ad shows how social stereotypes that drive girls away from science and math, male dominated subjects, from an early age.
Although many women have come a long way in society, numbers and statistics resurface a gender hierarchy that was much more visible in the past. These commercials may only suggest that women are submissive and the only insecure creatures in the world, which is not true. As a result, companies are encouraging women to not only feel beautiful, but to also feel assertive, independent, and feminists such as Sheryl Sandberg, the author of the book Lean In, urge women to have a strong voice and seize the day.
