I’m on the free version of the Duolingo language app; been on it for 5 years. This means I have to periodically watch ads.
Mostly I can ignore them and take a little 30-second break; except that lately I’m noticing how many ads are targeted at women; at our confidence to be specific.
It’s the face sculpting tool designed to lift our eyelids and erase our double-chin, or the diet plan designed to rebalance our hormones, or the dating coach designed to teach us what to do to land that special person.
The common message is this: you’re not good enough as you are, you’re doing it wrong, you can’t do this unless you buy our product.
I’ve got nothing against self improvement, but these ads prey on our insecurities as women. We need to be prettier, look younger, get thinner. Those messages are as old as dirt, but now I’m noticing the women in these ads are younger and younger. It’s a shame that women in their 20’s and 30s are worrying about these things. I’m truly saddened to think that women in the prime of their life (aren’t we’re all in the prime of our lives?) are being ‘sold’ the notion that there’s something wrong with them already.
I’m not sure what else to say about this except that I’m sad that after all our progress, the marketing to women is still primarily focused on our looks and catching a partner.
We have so much more to offer than that!
Try this ONE thing
Don’t do it! Don’t allow yourself to be reduced to this one dimension. You are more than just a pretty face.
Don’t buy it, literally!
This is how you become your most confident self. I want that for you and for me. Join this journey with me by signing up for my blog at https://bit.ly/kltheonething or dropping me a note at karen.laidlaw.theONEthing@outlook.com.