Images and Advertising Around the World

Although we are quite accustomed to the images we see in advertisements in the U.S., if you were to travel to another country the advertisements you see might be completely different. The role of images in advertising can be very different in places across the globe when cultural values, beauty standards, and governments come into play. By looking at photoshopped images and laws, you can get a lot of insight into the values of countries and what consumers are looking for.

Source: incomeschool.com

In one study, Ester Honlg sent a picture of a woman was sent around the world to 27 different countries to be photoshopped to what was considered to be the ideal body image of the people. I was so surprised to see that they all looked so different. Some countries barely changed the image at all, while others made her curvy and full figured, and others made her anorexically skinny. They asked female designers because they “wanted a woman’s view of what her culture finds attractive,” which in turn affects how they decide to target consumers in advertisements.

Some countries have decided to attack the issue of photoshop in advertising using the law. Israel recently adopted a new “photoshop law” that requires models to have a BMI of at least 18.5 and they are now also “additional regulation placed on advertisers requiring clear labeling on ads featuring digitally-altered images of models.” This law was created to prevent deceptive advertising and eating disorders. Other countries, like France, are beginning to consider adopting laws that likewise mark images that have been altered, so that unhealthy beauty standards are not used for advertising. However, this is far from a universal movement, as the U.S. says that “under the federal trade commission act, advertising must be truthful and non-deceptive,” yet it does not go as far as to require labels and minimum BMIs. It will be interesting to see if in the future we decide to adopt such laws, or if they will be considered as an infringement on our rights.

Different things sell across the world. What is attractive in one country might be irrelevant in another country. Because of this, what advertisers target in their photographs can greatly vary. However, no matter what it is they are targeting, what is clear is that each country takes into account the specific preferences of their consumers to maximize their profits.

Future Research: What is the psychology behind advertising? What affect can it have on children?