Killing Us Softly: Advertising's Image of Women*

• 1980 ----- color ----- 29 min ----- 16mm
• Through years of research, Jean Kilbourne has detected psychological and sexual themes that appear in most ad campaigns and has edited her findings into a visual commentary on corporate persuasion. Using hundreds of ads from magazines, newspapers, album covers and storefront windows, she presents a concise analysis of a $50 billion industry that preys on the fears and insecurities of every consumer in America. With a mixture of statistics, humor, insight and outrage, Ms. Kilbourne shows that ads may seem harmless and funny by themselves but they add up to a powerful form of cultural conditioning--and their message is deadly serious. (Restricted to use on University of Washington campuses only)
• Topics: (Advertising, Sociology, Women Studies)