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Daniel Green
Katrina Newsom
English 1020
5 February 2010
Acne, Acne, Acne!
Acne, by definition, is “a disorder of the skin caused by inflammation of the skin glands and hair follicles; specifically a form found chiefly in adolescents and marked by pimples especially on the face,” (Merriam-Webster). Throughout the past couple of years, acne commercials have been becoming more and more common. The acne correcting commercials focus on an individual’s need for perfect and an individual’s need to be accepted by his or her peers. Acne commercials also use bright colors and celebrities to help sell their product.
Accordingly, acne commercials focus mostly on the teenage stage in an individual’s life. Acne, according to these commercials, is unsightly and should be dealt with at any cost because with acne you cannot be successful or find a lover. There are many different brands of acne correcting solutions that range from Proactiv to Clearasil. Acne commercials give a false impression of what happiness and being accepted as an individual stands for. Acne advertisements and commercials are psychologically harmful to society’s youth and force an image that if you do not have clear skin, you are a nobody.
Commercials, such as Clearasil’s chicken ad, focus on the awkward teenage years when a boy meets a girl. The Clearasil commercial depicts two teenage boys in chicken costumes that are approached by two good-looking teenage girls. After the girls leave the one boy takes off the chicken costume head and says “How can I let them see me with this?” (Clearasil Chickens Ad),

Green 2 as he points to a single, tiny pimple on his chin. Then, Clearasil goes in to detail on how great its product is and how quickly it works. This particular commercial focuses on the insecurity of the awkward teenage years of an individual. Also, the Clearasil commercial implies that with its particular acne product the opposite sex will be unable to stop looking at the individual’s handsome features. What does this say to the teenage age group? That if you have clear skin you will be able to find a date no problem? The answer is yes. Clearasil does imply these things, but does not focus on reality. The truth is that even if you do have clear skin you may be unable still to find a date; what matters is your inner personality and soul. This Clearasil commercial psychologically alters the teenage viewers by implying that the opposite sex will not take two looks at you if you do not have clear skin. Clearly, Clearasil’s chicken ad focuses on a younger audience and focuses on the insecurities of the teenage age group.
A commercial that focuses on a broader range of age groups is Proactiv’s commercial featuring Jessica Simpson. Proactiv uses the celebrity Jessica Simpson to help influence people to use that product. The reason why Proactiv uses a celebrity is because people will more readily buy a product if that product has a popular face on it. Also, celebrities are used to make the implied statement that if a person uses Proactiv that person can be beautiful and popular like a celebrity. Proactive uses implied statements and empty rhetoric to influence future buyers.
Accordingly, in this particular Proactiv commercial, Proactiv uses supposed real life stories on how the product clears skin fast and how the people that used it are overjoyed with the results.
The marketing techniques of this particular ad are quite successful in the relation of the common man to the popular movie/pop star. What does this say to the various age groups? That if an individual uses Proactiv they will be successful and beautiful like Jessica Simpson? The answer is yes. Proactiv implies these statements, but Proactiv is blatantly lying to the individual’s face.

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Proactiv is using marketing strategies of relating the common man to celebrity figures which psychologically influences individuals to buy their products.
The last commercial is a commercial from Epiduo. This commercial clearly focuses on the teenage years and the insecurity of teens. This Epiduo commercial depicts a teenager, by the medicine stand, waiting for a new skin care product. Then a pharmacist comes along and says,
“Kid, get a life. Even though your acne may be mild, it is still a medical condition.” (Epiduo
Acne Commercial). Then the commercial goes into more detail on how the medicine works and how it is effective. Epiduo is seeking out the common teen that deals with acne and is singling them out to others. Is acne really a medical condition? If nearly all teenagers deal with acne, is it a problem? The truth of the matter is that even with this Epiduo medicine, you may still have acne. This commercial is just another example of acne products focusing on the innocent youth, causing them to be self conscious about their appearance. Also, after the kid in the commercial used the Epiduo medicine, the kid is shown to be very social and happy at the end. Can a medicine really make a person that happy and social? This is very unrealistic and is, frankly, ridiculous. It is all about marketing techniques to satiate Epiduo’s need to sell a certain amount of product. Epiduo focuses on teenagers and their insecurities.
Acne advertisements and commercials are psychologically harmful to society’s youth and force an image that if you do not have clear skin, you are a nobody. These commercials and advertisements take advantage of the unexperienced teen and cause this teen to have psychological and communicational issues. Acne commercials focus on the awkward teenage years of an individual’s life and these commercials strive to force an image of no skin problems.
Acne, according to these commercials, is unsightly and should be dealt with at any cost because with acne you cannot be successful or find a lover. These commercials focus on peoples’

Green 4 obsession with perfect appearance and clearer skin. The issue of acne has been becoming a more and more popular subject due to the plethora of acne/skin clearing commercials. These commercials and advertisements focus on a person’s insecurities and try to persuade that person to buy a particular product by stating that the product will make that individual’s life easier.
Acne commercials and advertisements have been becoming more common in everyday life.
Works Cited
"acne." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2010. Merriam-Webster Online. 3 February 2010
< http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acne >
“Clearasil Chickens Ad.” YouTube. Web. 3 Feb 2010.

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< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8yxwF9ftEc >.
“Epiduo Acne Commercial.” YouTube. Web. 3 Feb 2010.
< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbp52eJIMD0 >.
“Proactive Commercial Featuring Jessica Simpson.” YouTube. Web. 3 Feb 2010.
< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t8ybNdcbxg >.