Killing Us Softly 4: Advertising's Image of Women [Trailer] - Available on DVD

Available on DVD - April 2010

http://www.mediaed.org

In this new, highly anticipated update of her pioneering Killing Us Softly series, the first in more than a decade, Jean Kilbourne takes a fresh look at how advertising traffics in distorted and destructive ideals of femininity. The film marshals a range of new print and television advertisements to lay bare a stunning pattern of damaging gender stereotypes -- images and messages that too often reinforce unrealistic, and unhealthy, perceptions of beauty, perfection, and sexuality. By bringing Kilbourne's groundbreaking analysis up to date, Killing Us Softly 4 stands to challenge a new generation of students to take advertising seriously, and to think critically about popular culture and its relationship to sexism, eating disorders, and gender violence.

Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D. is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking work on the image of women in advertising and for her critical studies of alcohol and tobacco advertising. In the late 1960s she began her exploration of the connection between advertising and several public health issues, including violence against women, eating disorders, and addiction, and launched a movement to promote media literacy as a way to prevent these problems. A radical and original idea at the time, this approach is now mainstream and an integral part of most prevention programs. Her films, lectures and television appearances have been seen by millions of people throughout the world. Kilbourne was named by The New York Times Magazine as one of the three most popular speakers on college campuses. She is the creator of the renowned Killing Us Softly: Advertising's Image of Women film series and the author of the award-winning book Can't Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel and co-author of So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• MEF
• Jean
• Kilbourne
• Sut
• Jhally
• Gender
• Sexuality
• Body
• Image

[PirkkoUnkarilainen]

@minutepastmidnight Oh, Dear. You have no idea what a sexy bitch I am without all the artificial bullshit.

[sashastorey]

@samdaleyhillary woopty fuckin doo.. She isn't saying you shouldn't wear makeup or dye your hair.

[RNfinally]

I agree that SOME advertising exploits men. But, let's be real...the gross objectification of women in this society has existed since time began and has now reached an unbelievable level. Men are judged based on their accomplishments, women on their appearance. Look around you...it's everywhere you look...on billboards, television, print ads...and at Hooters (gag). We, as thinking people, must speak out and end this insanity.

[CountessGeschwitz]

@F4rmGirl4Life Well true, that is a good point. Some advertisement geared towards men uphold an impossible standard. It's unfair, and I agree. And I think it should be talked about and fought, too. But on the whole, it is overwhelmingly women who are extremely harmed by such objectification in the media.

[F4rmGirl4Life]

@CountessGeschwitz Look at mens advertisement too... they also have impossible to live up to standards.. some men JUST CANT get washboard abs.. it takes lots of pain and work and also the right set of genetics and hormones.

[mkmida]

@Daimonique Come on, THIS IS NOT ABOUT PUTTING ON MAKEUP OR DYING YOUR HAIR...really

[mkmida]

@CountessGeschwitz I AGREE

[mkmida]

@sashastorey That is not what it is referring to. It is about the indirect abuse and image women must portray in order to sell something. Women must sell a product that really doesn't exist. That is the point. No one really looks like those photos on the magazine and some young girl may think that is the way she should look like. I dye my hair put on mascara, and at times wear foundation but when I look in the mirror I see still see pores. THAT'S THE POINT.

[mkmida]

@krynaski continuation: I say as a consumers we CAN PUT A STOP TO WHAT WE WANT TO PUT A STOP TO IF WE AS A LARGE GROUP STAND TOGETHER AND DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO PUT AN END TO WHAT WE FEEL IS DISTURBING AND THAT MESSAGE IN THAT VIDEO IS DISTURBING AND SAD....

[mkmida]

@krynaski That is exactly the problem, sex sells and your not going to stop the media. Yes we can stop the media! That is the excuse everyone gives themselves to cop out of something they can change but don't want to be a part of it. So common We Can't stop the media, we can't stop the politician, we can't stop the big companies etc, etc, etc,....

[krynaski]

@luckytundra13 Well...one was a Guess ad, which I know for a fact was a shoe ad.

But beyond that, yes, I understand that some ads do go a bit far with sexualizing people-not just women, but it's an undeniable marketing advantage. The cold truth is sex sells, and your not going to stop the media because some people either: A. take it out of context or B. can't disassociate it with their everyday lives.

[luckytundra13]

@krynaski Then why isn't it just a picture of shoes? No they're selling sex. And Women as sex and nothing more. Hence the dehumanizing and ultimately violence.