“Branding, it’s like what they do to cattle, but on your mind.”

This was a perfect response to a request for a definition of branding in the media that was part of a Strong Girls! program.  An educator from the Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood had posed the question to a group of 6th Grade Girl Scouts who had gathered to discuss media literacy, self-esteem, and healthy relationships.

And then, the effectiveness of media branding was demonstrated when the girls went on to correctly identify the logos from a long list of companies.  They were able to guess correctly even when it was just a small part of the logo, like the “NI” in Snickers.  And, they had no problem identifying brands like Ford, even though it will be many years before they can drive.

Obviously, these girls are very familiar with media content but in this workshop they were able to explore their understanding of media messages to help them differentiate between the positive or the negative.  Looking at various magazine ads, the group was able to observe the different ways in which men and women are portrayed.  Even as an adult observer, I was surprised at how many ads depict women as weak victims but men as powerful achievers.

I was surprised, but that’s probably because I rarely bother to look at fashion magazines.  It’s not that I don’t like fashion.  I do.  I love the beauty of well-designed clothes, but I’m not going to invest any money or energy on fashion.

As it is, when my daughter decided that she wanted to become a fashion model, I wasn’t too thrilled.  I kept suggesting that she might want to consider other, more worthy, ambitions.  Finally, I found the perfect way to curb this desire.  I let her look at several episodes of America’s Top Model. 

Now, I’m not suggesting that kids should watch reality TV.  Definitely not.  I’m not even sure what it was about those shows that persuaded her that she no longer wanted to be a model.  Was it the show, or was it my insightful running commentary as I pointed out the sleazy behavior and overall stupidity?  I don’t know.  I’m just glad that she no longer wants to be one of the girls in the ads.

Despite all the advances in the women’s movement, there is a heck of a long way to go before strong women are the media norm, and not the exception.

Resources:

Contact your local Planned Parenthood to schedule a free education program promoting women’s health and well-being.  Take a look at the wide variety of programs offered by the Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood.

The Strong Girls! program was an excellent introduction to media literacy.  Now, I want to explore this subject in depth with my children.   We’ll be using a free resource from the Canadian Planned Parenthood, Youth Talk Back: Sex, Sexuality, and Media Literacy.  This pamphlet covers many media literacy topics including: culture, socialization, self-esteem and the mass media.  It includes bias detector tips and lots of discussion prompts.  And, it even includes many “Talk Back” suggestions for youth advocacy.

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