Calvin Klein and Lynx advertisements promote ‘idealized’ body shapes, potentially to the detriment of viewers’ body satisfaction and psyches

The Calvin Klein advertisement (right) is targeting males to buy Calvin Klein underwear.  

Calvin Klein ad showcases the 'ideal' body for men
in their advertisements

The images displayed are a man in just the Calvin Klein briefs.  The man appears strong and confident, with muscular abs to match. Media images cultivate the ‘ideal’ body type for both men and women.  Here, the body type is geared toward men- that like this model, all men should have abs of steel and an abundance of confidence. These types of advertisements produce negative effects on men, because those viewing the ads may feel inferior after viewing them.  This inferiority that they feel could be in the form of body dissatisfaction, or just plain unhappiness about their inability to conform to this standard of beauty.

Lynx displays woman as a sexual object in deodorant ad

The Lynx advertisement (left) is for men’s deodorant, however one would not be able to figure this promotional connection out from the picture alone.  The image on the advertisement displays a scantily clad woman bent over the oven baking a turkey. She is seductively looking back at the viewer and appears sultry with enviable proportions.  

The model is, quite simply, portrayed as a sexual object.  This type of advertisement causes negative effects on both the men and women viewing it.  For men, this image leads them to have a notion that a woman’s place is in the kitchen – to serve him and his every need.  Furthermore, while addressing a man's carnal need for nourishment, a woman must also maintain a look of sexiness and inspire lust. At the same time, this advertisement will cause women who are not at the ‘ideal’ weight of media standards to feel inferior.  This poor body image is a direct result of viewing an advertisement where the model’s proportions are ‘perfect’ with seemingly no imperfections, promoting the perception that this type of body is the norm, and any other is unacceptable.