H&M Photoshop

      I saw these photos on the web the other day, and they immediately reminded me of Miss Representation. A street artist has been pasting Photoshop toolbars onto ads for H&M. He aims to reveal the huge amount of retouching that is used in H&M ads, as well as throughout all advertising (especially ads that are directed towards women and girls). Many people don't realize the amount of digital work that takes place in between the original picture and the final product of ads like these. Ultimately, the woman in the ad probably looks nothing like that in real life.

     This relates to one of the main ideas in the documentary. Women and girls are given unrealistic stereotypes that they are expected to meet by both men and other women. In the case of this ad, and many others like it, the advertiser is creating an image that is physically impossible to recreate without digital retouching. It is literally unattainable. The problem is that many women and girls don't actually realize the facts behind advertising lies. This causes them to believe that it is possible to look like the woman in this picture and that they should strive to look like her. 

     Unfortunately, these misconceptions lead to real-life health issues, like eating disorders and body dysmorphia. Like Miss Representation pointed out, these issues make women feel inadequate because they do not look like women in ads. In reality, women in ads don't exist. The documentary showed us how in today's society, women don't make their voices heard because they feel they cannot meet standards. Their perception of these standards comes in part from the lies spread by the media, specifically advertisers.

     The cruel goal of many companies is simply to make women feel insecure. On paper, it's a great strategy: make your consumers feel bad about themselves. Make them think that your product will make them better. Make them buy your product. In reality, this incredibly common advertising technique is creating a generation of women who feel like they are lacking physical traits that make them more appealing. And it will continue to happen if ads like these are not exposed. 

      I really love what this artist is doing. Even if it's considered graffiti or defacement, it's important to get this message out to every consumer who sees these ads. People need to be aware of how disconnected these ads are from reality and how transparent these advertisers really are. It's going to be hard to alter a culture of insecurities and unrealistic expectations, but with artists like this and powerful messages like those presented in Miss Representation, we're on our way.