Opens with
an
interesting
fact that
illustrates
the
problem.
Gives
thesis for
essay.
Opens with
a quote/
cultural
reference
that
illustrates
the problem.
Uses general
concepts
from
readings as
“lens” to
think about
the subject
matter.
Sample Intro 1
According to Jean Kilbourne in her video lecture Killing Us Softly 4, the overly
thin bodies of female models found in most advertisements only represent five
percent of real women. Society and even women themselves judge each other
everyday against these bodies, and most of the time it leaves the other ninety-five
percent of women feeling dissatisfied with themselves. The Media Literacy Project
points out that “media construct our reality,” and the almost skeletal models in ads
have the power to define what is beautiful in our culture. In recent years, though,
many consumers have started to speak out about this problem, and even some
companies have responded by changing their models, including Nike. In the “My
Butt Is Big” advertisement for Nike Women athletic gear, Nike courts female
consumers by using a curvier model and offering an alternative vision of a “fit” and
“beautiful” body, one with which the majority of women can better identify. Nike is
sending the message that all bodies can be beautiful and is attracting consumers by
working against the traditional images of female beauty represented by the
unattainably thin models found in most advertisements.
Directly
states the
problem.
Uses a more
general
concept
from a
reading to
give
background
info on how
media
works.
Sample Intro 2
In his 1992 hit song “Baby Got Back,” Sir Mix-a-Lot declares, “I like big butts,
and I cannot lie,” and reassures voluptuous women, “Cosmo says your fat, but I
ain’t down with that.” While he’s hardly a feminist, Mix-a-Lot created an anthem
to celebrate curves that works against the mainstream media’s ideals of beauty.
Many magazines and advertisements present one, stick-thin version of beauty,
Directly
as as Jean Kilbourne explains in Killing Us Softly, this is problematic because the
states
media sells us more than products, it also sells us “concepts . . . of normalcy.”
problem
Kilbourne’s ideas echo those of the Media Literacy Project, an organization
aimed at teaching the public to think critically about the media: “Media messages
affect our thoughts, attitudes, and actions.” The messages of ads don’t always
have to be negative; while the media can create unattainable beauty ideals that
make women feel bad, the media also can change definitions of beauty by
Gives
depicting a greater variety of bodies. For example, in the “My Butt Is Big”
thesis.
advertisement for Nike Women athletic gear, Nike courts female consumers by using
a curvier model and offering an alternative vision of a “fit” and “beautiful” body, one
with which the majority of women can better identify. Nike is sending the message
that all bodies can be beautiful and is attracting consumers by working against the
traditional images of female beauty represented by the unattainably thin models found
in most advertisements.
In Nike’s “My Butt Is Big” ad for women’s athletic clothing, the focal
point is a black and white photographic image of a woman’s buttocks in short
spandex shorts on the left side of the page. Though her lower back and tops
of her goose-bump-covered thighs are visible, her bottom is clearly
showcased, as its round shape is mimicked by the purple, pink, and orange
watercolor splotches across the white background and by the wavy-shaped
left margin of the accompanying text cascading down the page. The text
further accentuates the theme of curves with its words, presumably spoken
by the woman whose backside we are viewing: “My butt is big and round like
the letter C and ten thousand lunges has made it rounder but not smaller . . .”
In fact, the first line “My butt is big” appears in a larger font, to emphasize the
observation about size. The woman’s voice goes on to tell us all of the
practical functions her buttocks serves, including “herd[ing] skinny women
away from the best deals at clothing sales,” and ends by emphatically
repeating “my butt is big and that’s just fine” and declaring “those who scorn
it are invited to kiss it.” Below this text is the company’s web site
nikewomen.com, followed by the brand’s signature “swoosh” logo in pink.
Through its use of humor, sass, and buttocks larger than that of
typical models, Nike invites its target audience of women to take pride in
their bodies and challenge the standards of beauty found throughout much of
American culture. As Jean Kilbourne points out in Killing Us Softly 4, the
bodies of most models (tall and skinny) represent only 5% of women. This
Nike ad not only features a body that defies this ideal through its curves, but
uses a racially ambiguous model to make the body easier to identify with
for most female customers. The model’s skin tone is darker than her shorts,
but in a medium tone such that this model could be of almost any race or
ethnicity. Moreover, the woman’s skin appears to have goose bumps,
indicating that the photo has been left “untouched” by Photoshop, sending
the message that her skin looks fine as it appears naturally. The ad also uses
humor when the woman explains that she uses her buttocks to shoo
skinny women away from clothing sales; her buttocks not only has
confidence, but also serves practical functions like keeping its owner warm
(“it serves as a heater for my side of the bed”), and in this way, it seems
like a good friend. In this ad, the larger than idealized buttocks is welcomed
and celebrated instead of being seen as a body part that should be reduced in
size through exercise. The text hugging the model and the round, bright
watercolor splotches, which almost suggest her body is a work of art,
emphasize the concept that curves are good and things of beauty. Although
Kilbourne warns us that ads objectify and dehumanize women when they
chop them into body parts, the speaking voice of the woman whose
buttocks we are viewing seems to make her very much a thinking, feeling
human being.
By creating a “body positive” ad, Nike Women creates strong ethical
appeal. The customer feels like she can trust Nike because the brand is not
shaming her for not meeting the “ideal” body we see in most advertising.
Instead, the brand builds credibility with its audience of women by
allowing the customer to feel like a sassy, confident woman. This also creates
emotional appeal, as many female customers will embrace the value of
being “body positive” and enjoy the good-natured use of humor. While the
ad may not seem to use much logical appeal, the list of reasons why the
woman’s buttocks is great do offer new ways to consider why we should love
and embrace our bodies. To sum up, using a “regular” woman—what the
Media Literacy Project would call the “plains folks” technique of showing
average people using a product for customers to identify with—and humor
fit the purpose of luring customers in with a version of female beauty that is
desirable AND attainable. While the ultimate motive of Nike is to sell
products, of course, many customers might be impressed by the secondary
motive of making women feel good about themselves.