SmartGirl asked, "Have you seen ads lately that made you feel great to be a woman or made you think that the advertiser knew exactly what you like? This includes ads that are inspirational, have good role models, or are just really representative of how companies should make ads for women. Please tell us about them in as much detail as you can, including what product the ad was for, why you could relate to it, when you saw it, and where (television, magazine, newspaper, billboard, internet, radio)."
There are a couple by Nike that have inspirational female athletes, like Mia Hamm. There is one that I especially like with Mia Hamm and Michael Jordan. Mia is telling Michael that she CAN beat him, whether she is a female or not.
-girl, 13 USA
I haven't seen too many but there was this one ad (a JNCO ad I think, not sure though) and the girl in the ad had really cool hair and a nose ring. I'm so sick of those guys who dis girls with piercings and seeing someone with one was really cool. Also most girls in ads have nothing but an "common" ear piercing so seeing someone with more than just that was the greatest.
-girl, 15 USA
I saw a commercial by Nike that showed little girls playing football and it said that WNFL was only just a matter of time. I really loved that one. Then I saw another one, I think it was for not drinking alcohol, that had Tara Lipinski in it kind of honoring the women that gave us game. I saw another one, for Gatorade, with Michael Jordan and a women soccer player and the women beat him! I liked all of those very much! I saw all these all on television.
-girl 14, USA
There is a Belle Tire ad out on the radio that has a female spokesperson. In one of the ads, she's telling her boyfriend what tires he should get for his car. In another, she's simply telling about Belle Tire and the services (besides tires) they offer and they actually make a woman sound smart about cars. That's something that doesn't happen everyday and I like that.
-girl, 19 USA
Yes, I have. it made me feel good to be a young female. I saw it in Teen Style. It just happened to be your ad: SMART GIRLS DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES.
-girl, 16 USA
This sounds dumb, but the new ad campaign for tampax is really great. It treats periods as a celebration of femininity rather than a monthly nuisance
-girl, 14 USA
The Nike ads in magazines are great. I really really love how they portray girls and women in sports and in the world. It is sad though that we can only get that kind of respect when a company is trying to sell us something. If a non-profit organization were to release ads on TV, in magazines, on billboards, etc., I think it would do a lot more for the esteem (and careers) of women around the world.
-girl 16 Canada
There's this Nike Commercial, where this lady says, "The perfect waist in 34. The perfect hair is blonde... And the perfect ass is anyone who believes all that crap." I was cheering, what a great commercial!
-girl, 15 USA
Not lately! Sears used to have a campaign that was really great. They were in magazines and had these photos of girls. My fave one said "Guts, ambition and nerves of steel..." and then below "That's what little girls are made of." I LOVED that. It's on my wall.
-girl, 16 Norway
There was an advertisement on television the other day by a juice product called Crystal Light. In the commercial they talk about happiness. They feature an older woman and say "who says you have to be young to be happy". Then they show a large size women and say "who says you have to be a size 4 to be beautiful". I can relate to this because even though I am young I am not small and this commercial proves that u don't have to be a certain size to be happy.
-girl, 15 USA
When asked what ads I have seen recently that made me feel positive about my gender, I could think of only a single ad---an ad that I find to be extraordinary. This ad was produced by what I believe is called The National Drug Association. It was shown on television and at the local movie theater, and posted the following slogan around which the entire ad was centered- OPPORTUNITY: THE ANTI-DRUG. This ad pictured various teenage athletes including the long admired Olympic medallist Tara Lipinski who each had a sequence on screen in which they discussed the efforts of female athletes to fight for their right to engage in athletic activities despite "cat-calls" and the like...all to enable today's women to stand alongside men in competitive gatherings. I have seen it since mid-June, and enjoyed it each time that it has appeared on television. I was able to relate to it due to the fact that those speaking to the audience were of the same age as the directed audience, myself included, ( 10-20 )of the same gender as I am, and capable of speaking with a striking earnestness and passion for their cause.
-girl, 12 USA
I LOVE Lane Bryant ads. I don't shop at lane Bryant because I'm too small but I like how they always, in every single ad, say that being plus size can be perfect! They are normally in magazines and always have a plus-size women and on the bottom it says something like "I am a woman. I am a worker. I am happy with who I am. I am happy with my body. I AM a perfect size 16." I love that and I love that they acknowledge that not every woman in America is 5'11 and 105 pounds.
-girl, 15 USA
SmartGirl asked, "Have you seen ads lately that you found to be really offensive to women, that you found really sexist? Please tell us about them in as much detail as you can, including what product the ad was for, when you saw it, and where (television, magazine, newspaper, billboard, internet, radio)."
Actually, it is a TV show. Called "The Man Show" on Comedy Central. All it's about is men talking about "manly" things...they have women jumping on trampolines in bikini's etc... and the men watch and are all like "oh baby." I think it's just not right.
-girl, 13 USA
I can't say exactly for what brand of food but I see commercials on TV advertising like chicken and the woman is always making dinner for the family and doing all the slave work. On one, the family keeps asking her for more food and she keeps getting up and having to get it. The husband of course is at the head of the table and doesn't lift a finger. I just think it promotes the idea that women belong in the kitchen. It may not be offensive to some people, but it makes me mad that just once those commercials can't have the man cooking.
-girl, 19 USA
Lord, there is this commercial on the radio for some weight loss thing and it is just DISGUSTING it goes something like this: first guy: man, carol sure a has a nice butt and a hot bod second guy: hey, she's my wife! First guy: she's lost a lot of weight! She looks great! Second guy: yeah it's all thanks to (some diet pill) first guy: wow, she sure does have a hot bod second guy: yeah, I like it too I mean EWWW! Me and my friends all gag whenever it comes on
-girl, 14 USA
A lot of ads in Teen magazines are offensive, even if that's not the purpose behind them. There are a lot of ads with girls lying on their beds painting their nails and talking on the phone, with bubbles over their heads saying the most ridiculous things!! Also, the maxi pad ads, the cartoon ones that show different situations where the girl is glad she's wearing a pad. ^_^ They're so trite and stupid. As far as sexist ads, I haven't really seen many. Sexism exists more in real life then on TV I find. One of my friends (his entire family actually) has a big problem with women being intelligent and going into science and stuff like that. It's odd because the father has his doctorate in nuclear physics, their entire family is very gifted...yet they do not appreciate women speaking up for themselves and working towards equality
-girl, 16 USA
It was a Victoria's Secret commercial and they had women naked but wrapping their arms around themselves. And the cameras are sometimes right in the women's private. Some magazine covers have naked women posing naked but they covering themselves up.
-girl, 14 USA
Commercial (I think for Degree) where showgirls are given the product to prove it works. I don't think I would even dream of wearing this deodorant until they came up with another ad. Every time I see it makes me sick. Also these women are really degrading themselves. They need to sit down and think about what they are portraying on public TV. I've this same commercial for a week. I always switch channels.
-girl, 16 USA
A television advert advertising a cereal called 'special K' is quite offensive, it shows a woman with a perfect body complaining about her 'bum looking big' it portray that women are obsessed with their bodies and always worry about what men think of their bodies. It showed that women only want to look good and nothing else is important.
-girl, 14 UK
SmartGirl asked, "If you had a chance to tell ad agencies, the people who make ads, how to improve advertising, what advice would you give? (we will try to pass this advice on!)
Don't put just women in little clothing put men, also. And don't just put really skinny women in the advertisements. Put more curvy women so the girls like me who aren't the skinniest in the world but are curvy will feel good, too.
-girl, 13 USA
Stop using skinny models for every ad you have! By only presenting women with "The Perfect Body," you send the message out to the impressionable youth of today that that's the way you're supposed to look. Truth is, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO EAT! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO LOOK HEALTHY!!! Sometimes I see some of those women and I just want to go up there and cram a Big Mac into their mouth! Point is, I'm fairly heavy. And I always will be. I won't EVER look like the women used in the commercials, and neither will many other people. Seeing these beautiful models makes me feel out of place, like I should be like them. The truth is, they're not normal either! I'm 14 years old and have already tried so many diets, and sometimes contemplated the idea of not eating simply because I want to be like those models! I'm over-coming that desire now because I see it's simply not realistic. But I know SOOOOOO many other kids out today that try so hard to be like the "normal" models you all use, that they end up LITERALLY dying to be just like them. They try too hard to be skinny... you should use decently sized women
-girl, 14 USA
Just make sure the women are independent!!!!!!!!
-girl, 15 USA
Stop making women appear stupid and stop making them look like sex toys!
-girl, 19 USA
No more waifs and realistic goals and ideas...if your marketing a product and want people to buy it give it a realistic price
-girl, 14 USA
Don't make fun of anyone, and show diversity in race, creed, gender, body type, etc.
-girl 13 USA
Thanks to all those who took the survey!
