2.

0 Methods
The researchers pursued this study by using qualitative approach to evaluate
the experiences, perceptions and findings of the respondents about body image that
affects the advertisements. The researchers conduct a focus group discussion and an
online survey. The focus group discussion was done in a classroom setting with four
female college students, which was facilitated by the researchers. Questions asked
were more on personal experiences and opinions of an adolescent female student.
On the online survey, questionnaires were given to third year female college
students of De La Salle Lipa. Out of 82 survey questionnaires that were distributed,
58 were retrieved.

3.0 Results and Discussion

The following statements contain the data generated from the focus group
discussion.

1. One thing that the respondents have in common is their insecurities from
other women. It’s been said that they feel shy on how to deliver themselves
to others. Shame has been associated in the relationship between
disempowerment in women and their bodies (Bessenoff & Snow, 2006).
2. When asked what the respondents would like to change in their physical
appearance, they answered that they want to get rid of the fats in arms and
stomach; enlargement of breast, become more taller and 2 out of 4 also
wanted to get rid of their scars on faces. To achieve this, they have revealed
that they are using products that may help them get rid of the scars like BL,
Sebo de macho and etc. For nearly two decades, consumers have used
liposunction, breast augmentations, facelifts, nose jobs, and surgical
reductions of the hips, thighs, belly, and buttocks to improve physical
appearance, reduce body weight, and to obtain a younger appearance
(Gilman, 1999; Morgan, 1991).
3. 3 out of 4 respondents shared that they are not satisfied with their body
figure and that it worries them, as they are not able to wear swimsuits. Early
experimental enquiry demonstrated that women’s state self-objectification
can be increased in situations where attention is explicitly focused on one’s
physical appearance by trying on a swimsuit (Fredrickson et al. 1998; Hebl et
al. 2004; Quinn et al. 2006).
4. All of the respondents revealed that once they see an advertisement through
facebook and youtube, they more likely end up buying those products and try
it.
5. The respondents said that their mothers are the one who initiates them to
buy and try different products that was seen in the television or online
advertisements. Sociocultural theories state that the development of
women’s body images is influenced by sociocultural factors, such as the
media, family, and peers (Clark & Tiggemann, 2006; Fingeret & Gleaves,
2004; Stice & Shaw, 2002).
6. The effect of unrealistic advertisement to the respondents is that it is
convincing. One respondent say that “Advertisements did things such as
 photoshop to attract more audience and it seems like advertisements
hypnotize consumers” (Samonte, 2018).
7. “Advertisements are manipulative factor in our lives. As advertisements does
not simply mirrors the society but it gives the objectives to their target
audience, which is, why women becomes more unsatisfied” (Subagan, 2018).
8. “Women being used mostly in advertisements become trophy” (Subagan,
2018).

The following tables contain the data generated from the retrieved
questionnaires followed by the corresponding analysis.

Table 1. Encountering advertisements on which media platform

Table 1 indicates the highest media platform the respondents often

encounter advertisements. Online advertisements positions in the first rank;
meanwhile, television and radio position in the second and third rank respectively.
Last on the list where respondents encounter advertisement is on prints.

Table 2. Encountering what self-care product on advertisements

Table 2 states the kind of advertisements the respondents encounter. It can

be seen in the table that the most encountered advertisements of the respondents
are whitening products followed by cosmetics, hair products, slimming or dietary
supplements and skin care or household products respectively.

Table 3. Convincing consumers to buy advertised products

Table 3 shows that 70.7% of the respondents agreed that they are convinced
by the advertisements to buy certain products.

Table 4. Influence of advertisements on someone’s perception of an ideal

physique (body/skin)

Table 4 shows the respondents’ perception wheatear or not advertisements

influence an ideal physique. 50% agree that advertisements do influence their ideal
physique perception, while 31% disagree and 17.2% strongly disagree. Tall, thin,
fair-skinned, fair-haired women with White, Euro-American facial features are often
the symbol of American femininity and beauty (Barnett, Keel, & Conoscenti, 2001;
Jung & Forbes, 2007; Lau, Lum, Chronister, & Forrest, 2006).
 Table 5. Degree on how advertisements affect someone’s body image and
satisfaction

Table 5 indicates the degree of advertisement affects ones body image or

satisfaction, with 5 being the highest degree. 23 or 34.5% answered that
advertisement affects their body image or satisfaction in 3 degrees. 20 respondents
gave 4 degrees on the effects of advertisements to them. 9 or 15.5% respondents
chose 2 degrees and only 2 or 3.4% answered 5 degrees.

Table 6. Reflection of Philippine advertisement on present Filipino

perceptions of beauty standards

Table 6 shows that the respondents agreed that advertisements reflect

present Filipino perceptions about beauty.

Table 7. Complying with such standards

Table 7 presents that 25 or 43.1% respondents comply with such standards

and 24 or 41.4% comply rarely while 7 or 12.1 respondents never comply.

Table 8. Sexualizing and objectifying women in media advertisement

Table 8 indicates that 49 or 84.5 agreed on women being sexualized and

objectified in media advertisements while 9 or 15.5% disagree about this. “At the
very least, [such imagery in] advertising helps to create a climate in which certain
attitudes and values flourish, such as the attitude that women are valuable only as
objects of men’s desire, that real men are always sexually aggressive, that violence is
erotic, and that women who are the victims of sexual assault ‘asked for it’”
(Kilbourne 1999, pp. 290-91).

Table 9. More objectified women than men

Table 9 shows 24 or 41.4% agree that there are more objectified media
advertisements of women than men. 17 or 29.3% respondents are feeling neutral
about this statement and 11 or 19% strong agree while 5 or 8.6% strongly disagree.

Table 10. Media as the strongest transmitter of cultural norms and ideals
 Table 10 shows that majority of the respondents agreed that media is the
strongest transmitter of cultural norms and ideals. Some of the reasons the
respondents gave is that media being used by many today aims to persuade people
and influence them, which is why it became the strongest transmitter of cultural
norms and ideals. The mass media is the most powerful way to spread these images
that represent sociocultural ideals (Tiggemann, 2003).

Table 11. Products own at the moment

Table 11 indicates the number of respondents who own beauty products at

the moment. 53 or 91.4% of the respondents answered yes and only 5 or 8.6%
answered no.

Table 12. Self-care products that is used

Table 12 shows the self-care products that were being used by the
respondents. 48 or 82.8% are using hair products, 42 or 72.4% used cosmetics, 24
or 41.4% are into whitening products and 2 or 3.4% take slimming/dietary
supplements.

Table 13. Influenced in using products

Table 13 presents to whom or what did influence the respondents in using

products. 33 or 56.9% said that this help them in increasing self-esteem and boost
confidence; 28 or 48.3% was recommended by a family; 23 or 39.7% was by peer
reviews; 15 or 25.9% said that advertisements influenced them and 12 or 20.7%
was through the trends on media.

Table 14. Daily beauty routine

Table 14 reveals the number of respondents who have daily beauty routine.
Out of 58, 40 respondents have daily beauty routine while 18 doesn’t have.

Table 15. Enhancing physical appearance and not for medical purposes

Table 15 shows that majority of the respondents do not want to undergo a

cosmetic surgery. Meanwhile, 3 respondents have plans on undergoing a surgery.

Table 16. Paying attention on others perception about how you look
 Table 16 presents those 34 respondents who pay attention to others’
perception about themselves while 24 respondents do not pay much attention to
this. Adolescents are particularly sensitive to evaluations and criticism from their
peers (Aslund et al, 2009). As a result, development of adolescents’ body image, self-
esteem, and self-image are influenced by their perceived social status among their
peers (Closson, 2009).

Table 17. Satisfied with ones body weight

Table 17 shows that 25 or 43.1% are unsatisfied with their weight and only
18 or 31% are feeling satisfied about it. 8 or 13.8% are very satisfied while 7 or
12.1% are very unsatisfied. As females become more dissatisfied with their bodies,
they are at greater risk for developing mental health issues and maladaptive
behaviors (Cachelin et al., 2003; Harper & Tiggemann, 2008; Yates et al., 2004).

Table 18. Satisfied with ones skin color

Table 18 presents the satisfaction of the respondents on their skin color. 32

or 55.2% are satisfied while 21 or 36.2% are very satisfied and only 5 or 8.6% are
feeling unsatisfied.

Table 19. Satisfied with ones facial features

Table 19 shows how satisfied the respondents are on their facial features. 39
or 67.2% respondents are feeling satisfied with their facial features and 9 or 15.5
are not.

Table 20. Satisfied with ones hair

Table 20 indicates the satisfaction of the respondents on their hair. 29 or

50% respondents are satisfied with their hair and 18 or 31% are feeling unsatisfied
with it. Only 8 or 13.8% are very satisfied while 3 or 5.2% are very unsatisfied.

Table 21. Feeling comfortable in describing oneself positively

Table 21 reveals the comfortableness of respondents in describing

themselves positively. 35 out of 58 respondents answered yes on this question.

4.0 Conclusions and Recommendations

The following conclusions were drawn based on the results:
1. Society, including the mothers was being influenced by the advertisements seen
on television and online.
2. Advertisements are manipulative and sets unrealistic images to the consumers.
3. Majority of the advertisements convinces consumers to buy their products.
4. Majority believes that the Philippine advertisements reflect the present Filipino
perceptions of beauty standards by endorsing skin whitening products or a
foreigner model.
5. Many think that women are sexualized and objectified in media advertisements.
6. As many are on media right now, this becomes the strongest transmitter of
cultural norms and ideals.

Advertisements have a major impact on the perceptions of people. These

advertisements can be seen in online, broadcast and print trying to promote
unrealistic things to the target audience. Women are often being used to objectify
and sexualize advertisement products that affect other women negatively.
Moreover, women still purchase these products for the betterment of them and to
be acknowledge by the public.

Reference:
Aslund, C., Starrin, B., Leppert, J., & Nilsson, K.W. (2009). Social status and shaming
experiences related to adolescent over aggression at school. Aggressive
Behavior, 35(1), 1-13.

Barnett, H.L., Keel, P.K., & Conoscenti, L.M. (2001). Body type preferences in Asian
and Caucasian college students. Sex Roles, 45(11/12). Retrieved from
http://web.ebscohost.com.

Bessenoff, G.R. & Snow, D. (2006). Absorbing society’s influence: body image self-
discrepancy and internalized shame. Sex Roles, 54(9/10), 727-731. doi:
10.1007/s11199-006-9038-7.

Cachelin, F., Veisel, C., Barzegarnazari, E., & Striegel-Moore, R. (2000). Disordered
Eating, acculturation, and treatment-seeking in a community sample of
Hispanic, Asian, Black, and White women. Psychology of Women Quarterly,
24(3), 244-253.

Cachelin, F.M., Weiss, J.W., & Garbanati, J.A. (2003). Dieting and its relationship to
smoking, acculturation, and family environment in Asian and Hispanic
adolescents. Eating Disorders, 11, 51-61.

Clark, L. & Tiggemann, M. (2006). Appearance culture in nine- to 12-year old girls:
media and peer influences on body dissatisfaction. Social Development,
15(4), 628-643.

Closson, L.M. (2009). Aggressive and prosocial behaviors within early adolescent
friendship cliques: What’s status got to do with it? Merill-Palmer Quarterly,
 55(4), 406-435.

Fredrickson, B. L., Roberts, T. A., Noll, S. M., Quinn, D. M., & Twenge, J.M. (1998). That
swimsuit becomes you: sex differences in self-objectification, retsrained
eating, and math performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,
75, 269-284.

Gilman, S.L. (1999). Making the Body Beautiful: A Cultural History of Aesthetic
Surgery. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.

Hebl, M. R., King, E. B., & Lin, J. (2004). The swimsuit becomes us all: ethnicity,
gender, and vulnerability to self-objectification. Personality and Social
Psychology Bulletin, 30, 1322-1331.

Kilbourne, J. (1999). Can’t buy my love: How advertising changes the way we think
and feel. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Tiggemann, M. (2003). Media exposure, body dissatisfaction and disordered eating:

television and magazines are not the same! European Eating Disorders
Review, 11(5), 418. Retrieved June 4, 2018, from Academic Search Premiere
database. U.S. Census Bureau. (2006). Statistical abstract of the United States:
2007. Washington, DC: 703.

Quinn, D. M., Kallen, R. W., Twenge, J. M., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2006). The disruptive
effect of self-objectification on performance. Psychology of Women
Quarterly, 30, 59-64.