Easy, Breezy, Beautiful, COVERGIRL

Perfection is what every human being strives for. Now we have all heard the same argument of how the media is to blame for putting these ideas in our head! Although I do believe that as well as I do believe that I feel like I’m viewed as taking the easy way out by choosing a Covergirl ad to analyze, but I have had a few things I’ve been wanting to say about this company. Now that I have the perfect opportunity to do so I will use it to my advantage!            

            Starting with the basics--the first thing your eye is drawn to is of course the celebrity Drew Barrymore who takes up about 4/5s of the page. Specifically her bright blue eyes draw your attention because of the Covergirl product smeared all over them that make them pop. Clearly trying to sell the eye makeup in this ad, but they didn’t stop there in making Barrymore the perfect face. You notice the rosy cheekbones that transition downwards till you see her pink lips. Even though this is a clearly photo shopped face because nobody I know is flawless, this ad convinces you that this is what beauty looks like and you should want to look like this if you want to be someone. Now this is the part that really gets me, how Covergirl cleverly picks celebrities who already have natural beauty. By using them to sell their makeup they are saying “this face is beautiful because of Covergirl,” taking credit for this persons own beauty. Taking credit for something that is not yours is cheating! I cannot be the only person who has been angered by this, I’m sorry Covergirl, but Drew Barrymore is beautiful makeup or not!

            Moving back on track, other than the large “COVERGIRL” at the top of the ad, the next words that pull your attention is the “fadeproof. waterproof. Ignore-proof!” I’m sorry what was that? “Ignore-proof?!” are you implying that without this “intense shadowblast makeup I will be ignored?! I do fine not getting ignored with out Covergirl and even on the days when I’m shamefully in public without any makeup on people still talk to me and acknowledge me. There is also the possibility that they may be talking about that cute guy you’ve been trying to impress at work or school. If you wear this makeup it’s destined for him to finally notice you and ask you out.

            I found this ad in Teen Vogue so judging by the placement, the celebrity that teen girls look up to, the “ignore-proof,” and although not on the ad the cheap price of the makeup I would say the target audience are teen girls. If a girl is looking through Teen Vogue it shows that they already care about their image since it is a fashion magazine that updates you on the newest trends and occasionally celebrity gossip. The flawless image of Drew Barrymore who stars in many favorite movies of teen girls, she works as an idol that the girls look up to. If Barrymore wears this makeup I should too so I can look just like her.

            Now I am not blaming society’s need for perfection and beauty on this ad or on the media completely. We are the consumers and we are the people of this culture that has learned to value such things so it is only logic that an ad would bring up these ideas of perfection to sell their product.