Why gun after Vaseline?

What, Vaseline's face-whitening application for Facebook in India has had a phenomenal response!?

I am thoroughly disappointed. Wasn't the Facebook picture profile in the first place been made up to present a countenance drastically different from the real one, therefore not needing a face-whitening application? Or am I to believe kids on Facebook are secure enough to represent their true physical face-self? If that were to be true, it makes for depressing news for lifestyle marketers. After all, for a purchase decision to go through, the genesis is a problem/need recognition. If kids and others are happy with the way they look (no problem, no need), what will happen to the countless creams and concoctions?

To the blogosphere up in arms against this whitening application, for heaven's sake, grow up. The lack of adequacy felt by human kind for your information, isn't restricted to the face alone. I'd extend that perception of inadequacy to every part of the human body. Again, why keep it only physical, push it to psychological/emotional territory. Who's out there who's psychologically/emotionally secure? Also, just so you know, don't be so geographically restricted in your inadequacy perception application. The damn thing's prevalent around the world. Even in western world. Of course, it isn't whitening they want.

About your ire on marketers, I'd say think again. Is it only marketers who make you feel inadequate and therefore have you as easy prey to their schemes and devices? What about people in your life? Do they make you feel secure? Do they take you for the 'real' you, or recommend modifications? What about institutions you came in touch with? Did your school or college ever tell you, you were fine the way you were, and that you were among the best things known to mankind? What about your place of work? Even been berated and branded a dork. Asked to shape up or ship out?

Its time we stop kidding ourselves. The world around surely conspires to make us feel inadequate so they can have their way with us. Therefore why single out marketers. Again, I'm willing to admit, maybe there have been people and places that let you be who you are. Celebrated you for who you could be. And just maybe if they did ever admonish you, it was out of 'real' love for you. Tell you what, if there are such people and places, hold them close. Because they are your only chance at 'real' growth.

And probably your only chance at not succumbing to a 'whitening application'.

Comments

Benosh Haris said…
Ray,
Spoken like a true marketeer. I understand your point as marketing being a finger pointing at what what you can be with a product/service. Fair enough... if we were all happy as we are.. we/mankind will not grow. So my conclusion will be that man has an hard wired brain that makes him believe he is not complete and all marketing efforts are to make us overcome it and as a result fueling our own growth.

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