So I rarely watch TV. Very rarely. But I was still surprised to see an ad today for One-a-Day Healthy Advantage for Teens. It's made of a special formula that's designed to provide teens with a healthy advantage, because growing teens need different things .
But wait, there's more!
There's a boy one and a girl one because apparently male and female bodies need different things. Like, girls need "healthy skin" and boys need "healthy muscles". And, since obviously girls don't want healthy muscles and boys don't want healthy skin (because girls don't work in construction and boys don't get terrible acne sometimes), they've been kind enough to put these things in different pills. I buy the "male and female bodies need different things" concept, because on a biological level it is a teeny-weeny bit true. But not much. boys are more prone to high cholesterol and girls to osteoperosis, but that's not till later on, after the Teen years. So really, I'm left asking, "what the fuck?".
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i'm right there with ya doll. i've seen the ad and it's complete bullshit.
It's been discussed before. :) http://www.feministing.com/archives/013299.html
That commercials annoys me to no end.
>> girls [are prone] to osteoperosis, but that's
>> not till later on, after the Teen years.
Actually, bone mass only increases until around age 30, with the vast majority of it occuring in childhood and adolescence. Taking calcium and Vit D during the teenage years is crucial.
But that's beside the point, because it's not like the company is marketing the concept of "healthy bones!" to girls/women. Apparently glowy skin is more important than being able to bear your own body mass.
How nice that even though the girls buying the vitamins prioritize glowy skin, they're getting calcium from the pills too.
Ugh, I saw it too a few hours ago. FAIL.
I hate these commercials. While I do agree with the concept of different vitamins for girls and guys (we do have different needs. Girls in their teenage years need to bulk up on calcium and iron is necessary too as so much of it is lost each month with our periods. and guys actually are the ones who need the healthy skin vitamins, they actually get acne more than girls and their acne is more likely to be a real health problem)I do not agree with the way these are being marketed. Its like telling girls that they can't have strong muscles and like telling guys that they don't get acne
It's not though. It's selling a (generally beneficial) product on the terms people will want to buy it. Teenage boys want muscles (and good skin, but prioritize muscles). Teenage girls care a lot about their skin. It's not like the boy vitamins aren't going to have vitamins A and E because they're not marketed on a healthy skin basis.
I'm trying to picture an ad campaign based on selling teenagers what'll be good for them in 30 years.
I wanted muscles when I was a teen girl. Is it right to play into the lack of progress among teen girls? They may only be prioritizing healthy skin over other things due to socialization, ie, shes valued for what she looks like not what she can do. Theres a fine line between playing to your demographic audience and reinforcing indocrination.