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I think she kind of answered here own question here. She’s said that she’s purchased yoga equipment and bras in the past, so it makes a lot of sense that she’s
by cgb223 9y ago
I think she kind of answered here own question here.
She’s said that she’s purchased yoga equipment and bras in the past, so it makes a lot of sense that she’s seeing these ads
Facebook’s algorithms take a look at all people who buy certain things, and look at similar things they also buy, as well as a host of demographic information to key in on it more
They don’t do a perfect job. Facebook is not nearly as omniscient as people think it is. Trust me, I have some relevant work experience
As for the ads themselves, they’re selling an ideal, not a product. If they ad just had a picture of a bra on a table with nobody wearing it, that ad would be less effective than if someone conventionally attractive was wearing it. That’s not going to change, because it sells more of the product.
As for the body types, I think my sister (an accomplished Nuclear Engineer) put it best. Women often complain that they’re being pushed by advertising to conform to a certain body type. That’s valid. But those same women often then come to the conclusion to shame women who worked hard to have their body look like that.
My sister feels its an attack (attack might be a strong word here) on someone like her, who puts in serious effort to her health and body, in addition to the hard work she does as an engineer and a mother. Why is she the bad guy for putting in effort. Why cant some women have bodies like that, and some not?
- skywhopper 9y agoWow, way to dismiss her very valid points. In fact, no, if Instagram and Facebook think this is relevant advertising then they’ve scammed their investors far worse than we thought. And if the ads make the user feel unhappy, then they are really bad and they should do something about them. Finally, please get past the false notion that people with advertising-ideal bodies like your sister are somehow putting in more effort than other people. That’s demonstrably false. And in any case your final question is sort of the point of the post you are trying to dismiss. Why do all the women in those ads have one type of body, when there are so many other types out there?
- aceofspad3s 9y agoAs a user, I can't think of any ads that would make me happy. As an unattractive person, I wouldn't want to see unattractive people in ads either. Seeing fat people wouldn't make me happier. (Why was this thread collapsed?)
- macintux 9y agoNotice how you equate fat with unattractive?
- aceofspad3s 9y agoFat people are unattractive. I am fat and I am physically unattractive because of that. Thinking otherwise would be fooling myself. Being attracted to fat people is a kink, not the norm.
- macintux 9y agoI'm not attracted to fat people. I'm attracted to attractive people. And there are, amazingly, attractive fat people, despite the cultural norm we've internalized.
- aceofspad3s 9y agoI said PHYSICALLY attractive.
- macintux 9y agoAnd I still assert it's a cultural norm that barrages of advertisement like this reinforce.
- newscracker 9y agoIn different times and in different cultures, fat people have been considered physically attractive and thinner/slimmer people considered unattractive. Now we live in a globalized world where many aspirations are sold wholesale across cultures and acceptance is manufactured to make it look like the norm.
- dragonwriter 9y ago> Being attracted to fat people is a kink, not the norm. Norms of attractiveness are social constructs that demonstrably change over time.
- askafriend 9y agoHow is putting in a ton of time in the gym every day, watching nutrition very closely, giving up drinking/substances that interfere with progression and working towards fitness goals consistently with discipline not putting in more work than other people? If his sister is doing these things, then she is putting in more work than most people and that’s why she probably looks good and she deserves to be commended. Nothing you said makes a whole lot of sense. It seems like you wrote your post out of anger more than anything else.
- michaelchisari 9y agoif the ads make the user feel unhappy, then they are really bad Are they "bad" by advertising standards, though? The history of advertising is a history of preying on people's insecurities.
- trav4225 9y agoIndeed, this is essentially the core purpose of advertising: deception and the exploitation of insecurities. To those of you who work in this field, I urge you to consider your actions and to exercise integrity in your work. I'm not one to make sweeping judgments, but I must admit that, personally, I sometimes find it difficult to understand how some people in the field of marketing can do what they do with a clean conscience.
- dominotw 9y agoThere is big billboard outside my work ( and all over Chicago) that says " ulchaer tackles balding" with before and after. Before urlacher look some what like me :d. It's not specific to digital marketing . Some ppl might be triggered when they see a billboard for an expensive car that you can't afford.
- alsetmusic 9y ago> Finally, please get past the false notion that people with advertising-ideal bodies like your sister are somehow putting in more effort than other people. That’s demonstrably false. I put in no effort and thus have a beer gut. Before my metabolism slowed, I was super skinny with no muscle definition. Neither are considered an ideal male physique, but I don’t knock people who work out and have great bodies to show for it. It’s just not terribly important to me. Your comment sounds very much like the insecurity that the parent was pointing out. I’m with the parent on this. There’s nothing wrong with people who spend time and effort to look physically fit, if that makes them happy. Note that I’m not in support of exploiting people who don’t like the way they look.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- rdiddly 9y agoNot waging genocide on fit models as far as I can tell. Critiquing the bland predictability of advertising, including its use of fit models, and the demoralizing effects of a massive, relentless torrent of poorly-targeted ads you can't stop, yes. There's nothing here that can't be hung on a pre-existing hook of "advertising sucks" (for many reasons including shallowness and sexism) and/or "Instagram sucks" (due to its being an ad platform masquerading as a "social" "sharing" "platform"). But you can also add the bluntness of their ad targeting algorithm to the list. It sucks. "She ordered yoga pants once... TURN THE YOGA FIREHOSE ON HER!" I think everybody here including the author knows why she's seeing the ads. Likewise "They don't do a perfect job" and Facebook's non-omniscience, are pretty obvious too. But it's worse than doing an imperfect job; it's idiotic and self-defeating for both the ad broker (Facebook/Instagram) and the advertiser. She is never going to respond to any of those ads. Even less so, the more they make her feel like nothing more than a place where leggings and bras go, that has money in it. Though I guess neither the broker nor the advertiser cares about responses, only viewings.
- foobarbazetc 9y agoOh no... a woman has purchased a bra before. Stop the presses. That must mean every ad she sees should just be barely clothed women.