'Beautiful' ad campaign

Mr.Michael Bloomberg, the current Mayor of New York does come up with interesting and radical ideas which are for the holistic good. Earlier, it was about guzzling aerated cola’s but this time around the cause is more beautiful. Trying to break the misconception of a set image of beauty, the Mayor is trying to send in the message to each and every woman that she is beautiful just because of the way she is. Each person is unique and therein lies the beauty and not the groomed and primed women that we see on the ramps.

The ad says, “I’m a girl. I’m funny, playful, daring, strong, curious, smart, brave, healthy, friendly and caring.” It shows girls of different colors and sizes, with the overall theme of the campaign being “I’m beautiful the way I am.” The ads are splashed around the city, on buses and subways, target audience being girls in the age group of 7 to 12 years. These are the most vulnerable girls, where stereotype beauty notions could psychological mar them forever, leading to eating disorders, drinking, suicide and bullying.

This is an extremely positive ad and makes one wonder at the depth to which the developed countries think when it comes to betterment of the society. In our country too there was an ad campaign which aimed to break the “being fair is beautiful” myth but no one really remembers seeing it. Such issues, seemingly superficial are actually deep rooted and it is amazing to know that someone is trying to correct such misconceptions in their own small way. Recognising the problem is in itself half the battle won.