I think advertising forces us all into pre-fabricated stereotypes that are partially due to convenience and partially due to the fact that it's easy for the human brain to comprehend things in those terms.

If we can avoid being shaped by these notions of ourselves that are beamed out through all sort of media, then well and good, but when we let the media dictates our own reality, then that's bad. The irony is that we are such hyper-individuals as Americans, and yet we are all simultaneously and communally influenced to such a degree by marketing, advertising, and the mainstream media. It is no wonder we are often confused.

i think sarah missed the mark on this one. the topic is supposed to be the intersection between feminism and ageism, but if that were the case, i would expect the ads shown to be more like the "fight aging with this cream/botox/etc." Or, "get rid of those unwanted wrinkles and make your face look younger." Or even, "lift up those sagging breasts with this surgery/cream/bra/etc." Mocking those would speak more to her message...

Instead most of the advertisements shown are medicines for arthritis - not even osteoarthritis, which primarily affects the aged - but rheumatoid arthritis, a potentially severe, disabling, debilitating disease which can be difficult to treat and affects primarily women (not necessarily elderly women - most are middle-aged upon onset of the disease).

Ads that try to "fix" the effects of aging on superficial appearance are stupid. There's nothing wrong with looking your age, and in fact there can be something very beautiful, elegant, and stately about growing old gracefully. I wish the "growing old is ugly!" ads were the ads that she mocked.

However, aside from the ones about RA, the portrayed ads are targeting elderly women with real diseases that primarily affect them - osteoporosis/penia, urinary incontinence (VERY few people, even in healthcare, ever discuss this!), and osteoarthritis. Women don't "look worse" when they age. But they really do get arthritis and the other conditions.

That's why I think she missed the mark. Now, a lot can be said about the misleading nature of direct-to-consumer advertising, which is a whole other issue (and one that I think Sarah had previously covered!).

but her "old person" outfit is killing me! bwahahaha