Media Mindfulness

You have to hand it to the commodities system for being so effective at absorbing dissent. But also credit the media literacy movement for making the misrepresentation of beauty in commercial media a contentious issue. For over a year now Dove has been running its “Real Beauty” campaign, the above video being its latest salvo. But this needs to fall under the “buyer beware” category. When an advertisement uses deconstruction as its sales technique, it’s a sign that the industry is getting increasingly sophisticated in its ability to deflect criticism.

Advertisers are well aware of our skepticism regarding the claims of commercials. It’s a tribute to our evolving critical engagement skills, but also an indication of the shallowness of commercialized culture. There is no dampening the human spirit when it comes to intuitively comprehending manipulation and false spiritual assertions, and advertisers are constantly searching for ways to circumvent and counter our innate resistance to such deceit.

But there’s insidiousness to the ad. Its viral nature is the result of its compelling aesthetics, but it also appeals to our sense of justice and truth. It’s persuasive through its technical agility; it “beautifies” the self-criticism it claims to make, thereby canceling out its own proclamation. After all, Dove sells “beauty” products. Dove’s goal is to convince you that you need them to improve your looks. By deconstructing its own industry it deflects criticism, but also absorbs the language of dissent. It “winks” at you, claiming to be on your side, yet in the end, is it any different than other so-called “beauty aids”?

But as they say in education, this is a “teachable moment.” I would advocate using this ad in the classroom as a point of discussion/contention. My suspicion is that teens that view this would sniff out the deception rather quickly. But sometimes it takes pulling it out of its media context to get at the core truth that’s operating in the ad’s construction. Ultimately its messy, and meaning is not so black-and-white. Exploring the gray areas of the ever-changing rhetorical strategies of media are always rich stress points worthy for testing resistance and acquiescence.

I’m sure there are well-meaning people behind the Campaign for Real Beauty, but I wonder to what extent the notion of “beauty” is actually challenged. I also think it’s worthy having a dialog about self-esteem; I think this is our most fundamental challenge when it comes to media education. We want students to find their way using tools of critical engagement, and we also don’t want to just dismantle their highly mediated universe. It has to be their choice. But what we can do as educators is at least share with them effective tools so they can be informed consumers, and not just passive recipients of media messages. Remember, the whole reason for the campaign is to deal with the resistance that is already there. Realizing that communications are dynamic, it’s a myth that there is only one-way communication in mass media. This “syringe model” that is touted by media activists is just as disempowering as the messages of commercial media that claim to be self-critical. Youth have their own uses for media, so let’s honor that as well, and acknowledge their skills for finding new meaning in the world.