Everyone has an insecurity, or maybe a few. While our insecurities can make us feel down, they definitely make certain companies happy. So why do companies love our insecurities? Because knowing everyone’s insecurities is an easy way for companies to make easy profit.
Advertising Insecurities
Advertisers use multiple different strategies to attract people to become consumers of their product(s). When it comes to people’s insecurities, advertisers will purposely make people feel insecure or bad about themselves so they feel the need to buy the product. They are able to sell the idea that they have the answers to your problems.
An example of this is with AXE. AXE advertisements are directed to the males’ view of their own sex appeal. In the ad above, you see a woman walking towards a man when you see a homeless man spraying AXE on himself after looking through a garbage can. Once he sprays it, the woman walks over to him and she starts touching his body. When the homeless man walks away, she blows him a kiss and waves. This ad may be more subtle compared to others, but this advertisement does affect how someone may view their own body image. A man, who is made to look homeless, dirty and ugly, was able to attract a pretty woman just by using AXE. This ad leaves a message for men on how AXE will make you more appealing to women, even if you are not considered handsome/ attractive.
Advertisements on Social Media Apps
Instagram has become a very popular tool for companies and individuals to sell themselves to people. Companies love to sell their products through people like the Kardashians/Jenners. They are at the top of most companies list because they have a huge following and know people will buy their products just because the Kardashians/Jenners use it.
However, there are a few problems with this. Influencers and celebrities do not necessarily have to try or use a product in order to make an ad about it. They are usually sent a script to follow and just have to make a post about a product with that script. Some celebrities and influencers have made ads for a product knowing that it does not work but do it for the money. Either way, companies are still able to sell the product and make millions or even billions of dollars.
In an interview Kris Jenner was talking about how much her daughters can make from a single Instagram ad. She wouldn’t give an exact number but she said “it’s definitely six figures.” She also added that the price can rise if it is a pharmaceutical product or “something that you’re going to drink, or ingest, or put on your body.” This shows the relationship between a company and a celebrity or influencer and how they work together to endorse a product to earn money.
Companies and Their Millions of Products.
Companies are able to constantly make money by making the same thing but in different ways. Diet pills, hair vitamins, detox teas and more. A company called FlatTummyCo has shakes, detox teas, supplements, and Appetite Suppressant Lollipops.
Kim Kardashian worked with this company a couple of times promoting some of their products. In 2019 she was criticized for using their replacement shakes by people who said they were unhealthy and dangerous. In 2018 she was attacked on social media and shamed for using the appetite suppressant lollipop. One user left a comment saying, “Disappointed to see such a post from such an influential media icon. Eating isn’t shameful, our bodies aren’t shameful. We deserve better.” Another user said “Seeing this is literally making me cry. how are we still promoting things like this in 2018? one of the most powerful women in pop culture is advertising “appetite suppressants.” If your body is telling you it’s hungry, please eat. eating and being hungry is not a bad thing.” People were also leaving comments that Kim paid for her body and works with a personal trainer therefore she shouldn’t be promoting these products.
While many people were hurt over her ad, Kim and the company were still able to make a lot of money off of her post. What most people don’t know is that the more engagement people have the more companies and influencers benefit. Therefore, the more comments Kim has, whether they are positive or negative, each comment and like makes her money. This is a reason why some celebrities do not always care about what they are promoting.
What About the Cosmetic Industry?
Other than weight loss ads bringing in huge profit, the cosmetic industry brings in tons of money as well. The makeup industry does really well because there are people who are insecure and use makeup to cover up those insecurities. Like the AXE ad, there are makeup ads that tell the audience that they need makeup to fit into society’s beauty standards and that they will look pretty if they were makeup that makes them look flawless or like they have no imperfections.
Plastic surgeons are also people in the cosmetic industry that benefit off of people’s insecurities. Many plastic surgeons today use celebrities or influencers to promote them by giving them a free service such as free lip injections in exchange for a post or shout out on a social media platform. They know that they are able to attract people using celebrities that people love. It brings them more clients, leading them to more money, leading them to even more exposure, leading them to even more money.
Do You Help These Companies Make Money?
It is important that we pay attention to ads and companies, brands, and people who want to make us feel bad about ourselves so we buy their products. We need to pay attention to those who are using our weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and insecurities against us. It is okay to feel insecure but it is not okay for companies to make us feel worse about them.
Author: Kaitlyn
Body Image Through Media 