OUr thoughts...
Kilbourne has been making films about women in advertising for over forty years and we believe that she has every right to be concerned. Although we found images that were inconsistent with the ones presented in "Killing Us Softly 4" the majority were consistent. The messages that she believes are conveyed in advertising are still being portrayed to a certain extent. Although not every ad is degrading towards women; in general, the idea remains the same. The ideal of beauty that is portrayed through the thousands of advertisements we are exposed to is one that no woman can achieve. Kilbourne stated, "Women live in a world where their bodies
are routinely scrutinized and criticized" and this could not be more true.
It is important for people to watch her films because they send a very significant message about the influence that ads have on our everyday lives and on the way we perceive about beauty. "Kilbourne gives important insight into how these advertisements, which seem distant and irrelevant to our daily reality, have very real consequences" (Cultural Critique). Many of the ideals and stereotypes portrayed in ads are internalized by those who view them, so it is extremely critical for people to be aware of how inaccurate they can be.
We believe that every video you watch should be viewed with a critical eye because by researching the topic further and from other perspectives you increase your knowledge and understanding on the topic. We found it to be very rewarding to compare Kilbourne's images with current images because we were able to see just how prevalent the themes and concepts were in today's society. Gender representation in the media is still a major issue that needs to be addressed; however, the biggest change since Kilbourne first started making these films is the raised awareness about these issues. In "Killing Us Softly 4" Kilbourne states "the biggest change is that I’m no longer alone, that there are now countless books and organizations websites films and other people who are working on these issues.”
We hope that this website will also raise awareness on the issue of gender representation in advertising, as well as encourage you to be critical of the information presented to you in the classroom.
It is important for people to watch her films because they send a very significant message about the influence that ads have on our everyday lives and on the way we perceive about beauty. "Kilbourne gives important insight into how these advertisements, which seem distant and irrelevant to our daily reality, have very real consequences" (Cultural Critique). Many of the ideals and stereotypes portrayed in ads are internalized by those who view them, so it is extremely critical for people to be aware of how inaccurate they can be.
We believe that every video you watch should be viewed with a critical eye because by researching the topic further and from other perspectives you increase your knowledge and understanding on the topic. We found it to be very rewarding to compare Kilbourne's images with current images because we were able to see just how prevalent the themes and concepts were in today's society. Gender representation in the media is still a major issue that needs to be addressed; however, the biggest change since Kilbourne first started making these films is the raised awareness about these issues. In "Killing Us Softly 4" Kilbourne states "the biggest change is that I’m no longer alone, that there are now countless books and organizations websites films and other people who are working on these issues.”
We hope that this website will also raise awareness on the issue of gender representation in advertising, as well as encourage you to be critical of the information presented to you in the classroom.
awareness...
Here are some other sites that critique Kilbourne's films, as well as discuss gender representation in the media... We found them to be interesting, hope you enjoy them!
"Have we come a long way? An interview with Jean Kilbourne" http://bitchmagazine.org/post/have-we-come-a-long-way-an-interview-with-jean-kilbourne
"Response to Jean Kilbourne: women in advertising"
http://www.john-wright.net/2009/08/18/response-to-jean-kilbourne-women-in-advertising/
"Cultural Critique 'the first problem for all of us is not to learn, but to unlearn'"http://karen-culturalcritique.blogspot.com/2009/01/amazing-analysis-of-women-in-media-and.html
"Have we come a long way? An interview with Jean Kilbourne" http://bitchmagazine.org/post/have-we-come-a-long-way-an-interview-with-jean-kilbourne
"Response to Jean Kilbourne: women in advertising"
http://www.john-wright.net/2009/08/18/response-to-jean-kilbourne-women-in-advertising/
"Cultural Critique 'the first problem for all of us is not to learn, but to unlearn'"http://karen-culturalcritique.blogspot.com/2009/01/amazing-analysis-of-women-in-media-and.html