Question

While watching television, you notice that in an advertisement for a fairness cream, a cosmetics firm shows that a young woman who has dark complexion does not get any job offers. After she applies the fairness cream and becomes fair-skinned,she gets every job that she applies for. You feel that the advertisement is highly prejudiced against those who do not have fair skin and want to express your objection. Write an article for your school magazine to create awareness among the students community towards the discriminatory use of advertisement. Express your thoughts on the objectionable advertisement and rubric suggest what should be done with companies that bring out such products and advertisements. PLEASE PROVIDE AN ARTICLE OR PICS OF SUCH ADVERTISEMENTS.

Answer 1

   Fairness cream advertisements have been very common since the last three decades. I should say since the beginning of the television. They had been printed for many decades in newspapers and periodicals read by families and the elite society women.

   In general fair skinned women have an advantage over color skinned women in the society. They get an immediate attention. Men are attracted more towards them rather than black complexioned females. It is true all over the world. People don't say it publicly, as it could count as a discriminatory attitude.

   There are two points in this regard. Giving a biased treatment to fair skinned women and advertizing that their cream changes skin color. The first point means that the constitution is not followed rigorously. Reason clearly being all people are not treated equally. But in democracy, private institutions do what they want in order to benefit their organizations most. So if there is a change needed, then the attitude of the people should change.  But the change will happen only over many decades and not before.

   Regarding the ability of a cream changing the skin color, perhaps it does not always work out as much as publicized. The creams have limitations. Perhaps the skin becomes a little brighter and glowy. The young generation gets impressed and start using the creams. The attractive features in the advertisement catch the attention of people immediately.

    Perhaps an action should be taken against publicity that "fair skin gets a job more surely than colored skin". This is similar to the racial discrimination. In real world beautiful women and handsome men have an advantage in many opportunities in the society. It is inherent in the society. For example, most of the models, film heroes and heroines are fair skinned. Such advertisements based on color should surely be banned.

   There is an important point to note. Fair skin advantage is only in some fields like hospitality industry or secretarial jobs or certain type of marketing jobs. But there are many jobs which required intellectual abilities and proper qualifications. There color skinned persons do dominate without question.
   
    Maintaining good performance in a job secured on the advantage of a fair skin is not easy. They have to maintain themselves slim and smart. People view them differently when they reach their middle ages. Their life is not so enjoyable as the life of color skinned persons. So fair skin does have disadvantage too. They probably are more vulnerable to crime or harassment.

   In order to bring a change, women organizations and voluntary organizations have a good role to play. In families all children respect their parents and siblings irrespective of their color. The change should start inside a family first. The government should bring a law against such advertisement implying that fair skin gets a job.

   In the world of 21st century, there is a lot of change over the previous century. The intellectual and physical abilities of people is taking precedence over physical appearance of people. Except for a few opportunities, most of the jobs are equally competed by all women. I am sure that with efforts from women's movements and government, the change will occur. Also, people's skin is changing slowly in color due to natural evolution. The reasons are better healthcare, purer water, air and food. Also, genetic mixing too is another reason. Surely after some decades, there will not be any more such advertisements, as the job requirements will be different from being fairskinned.

Answer 2

Advertising plays an important role as an information provider. It helps people to form their opinions and participate in a democratic debate. There is a close relation between advertising and democracy, media helps in forming a cultural and political diversity. Advertising communicates the policies and politics of the govt. to society so that citizens can make informed political choices. Right political choices byt he society are very necessary for the success of democracy and advertising and media plays a respectful role in formimg public opinion.