New Yorkers Talk Media and Self-Image for International Women's Day

In honor of International Women's Day, I wanted to further the discussion about how media and advertising impact women's perceptions of themselves and what it means to be a woman today. Many factors can influence these perspectives, including social media, television commercials, OOH advertisements, television shows, and films.

Women are exposed to advertising and media messages every day through every platform, so their potential to impact women's self-image is high. Interested to learn how much influence these messages have; I took to the streets of New York City to speak with a diverse group of women about their views on the subject. They shared opinions such as "When brands advertise about plus-size bodies, I feel more inclusive and empowered," and "I was affected negatively growing up because there was one image of beauty and that was an image I never fit."

For me, advertising and social media have affected my perception of myself both positively and negatively. I believe part of the solution is taking control of the content we see online: Unfollow the celebs and brands advertising products that make you feel like you need to change and find those who promote self-care and self-love. It makes a huge difference when you can be confident in checking social media without worrying about harmful content.

As female consumers, we want to know that the media and advertising industry truly understands the impact of their messages and works with us to help us embrace our true selves.

Here's the full video of my conversations. How would you answer the questions I asked?

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The opinions expressed here are the author's views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.com/MyersBizNet.

Amanda Alex Keaton

Amanda, aka Alex, is a college Emmy-nominated filmmaker who is still making her way around New York City. Born and raised in Philly, she grew up especially interested in the ins and outs of the media world, and spent countless afternoons improving her creati… read more