November 30, 2005
Just when you thought female athleticism has come a long way, we see the New Pink CreamSilk TV ad spots. 23rd SEA Games athletes Janice Hung (martial arts) and Monica Santos (football, as in soccer) celebrate the kind of "Girl Power!" that embraces both strength and beauty. "Why choose when you can have both?" they challenge.
Of course, beauty here is never about the inner person. It's about physical attributes, namely free-flowing, silky smooth hair. As if these girls didn't have it all to begin with. It's bad enough that the whole shampoo commercial trope is all about preying on the insecurities of women and teenage girls. The Head & Shoulders ITCH SO KAKAHIYA ad campaign shows us that it's better to suffer in silence than to have anyone see you work your nails thoroughly on your scalp, and while you're at it, use the shampoo so that you can nab that guy's attention once and for all. Ohterwise, you'd have to be "bilib sa sarili" like KC Concepcion to ooze with a self-confidence that never seems to run out of steam. Even young girls are also being targeted as a market to flaunt their thick manes with Vaseline Thick and Clean Shampoo (they may as well be show horses. KAPAL!). Regardless of how old we are, the ad concept people responsible for such artful atrocity never fail to recycle time and again this self-defeating message: we're nothing without their shampoo. Unfortunately, not everyone recognizes this for the hogwash it really is.
If Janice and Monica are confident enough with their game, why would they have to produce a future generation of aspiring athletic girls with chronic cases of hair trauma? Janice might easily get away with being graceful while wielding that sword, but is Monica's idea of having it all being able to score a goal without looking like a buhag-HAG? I'm sure it's more than that. Besides, who keeps long, super-straight hair untied during such a fast-paced game? She'd end up with hair in her mouth, and no amount of CreamSilk could keep that hair away from her pretty little face!
Granted, there's nothing wrong with owning the jersey (or whatever the coveted sports outfit entails) and looking your best out there. But girls in sports have a lot more goal-oriented priorities than the state of their hair. Athletic skill has never really been about image or maintaining appearances, but when sponsorships and endorsements come in, there's a whole new package waiting to be conceived.
Who knows what say they (or their coaches) had in the matter before agreeing to peddle shampoo - unless, of course, they didn't see any harm in it. Just like it seems mostly harmless to intensively promote sports apparel and the athletes who sport them with such youthful vigor that it's easy to ignore the sweatshop conditions behind the production of their branded shoes and clothing.
Of course, beauty here is never about the inner person. It's about physical attributes, namely free-flowing, silky smooth hair. As if these girls didn't have it all to begin with. It's bad enough that the whole shampoo commercial trope is all about preying on the insecurities of women and teenage girls. The Head & Shoulders ITCH SO KAKAHIYA ad campaign shows us that it's better to suffer in silence than to have anyone see you work your nails thoroughly on your scalp, and while you're at it, use the shampoo so that you can nab that guy's attention once and for all. Ohterwise, you'd have to be "bilib sa sarili" like KC Concepcion to ooze with a self-confidence that never seems to run out of steam. Even young girls are also being targeted as a market to flaunt their thick manes with Vaseline Thick and Clean Shampoo (they may as well be show horses. KAPAL!). Regardless of how old we are, the ad concept people responsible for such artful atrocity never fail to recycle time and again this self-defeating message: we're nothing without their shampoo. Unfortunately, not everyone recognizes this for the hogwash it really is.
If Janice and Monica are confident enough with their game, why would they have to produce a future generation of aspiring athletic girls with chronic cases of hair trauma? Janice might easily get away with being graceful while wielding that sword, but is Monica's idea of having it all being able to score a goal without looking like a buhag-HAG? I'm sure it's more than that. Besides, who keeps long, super-straight hair untied during such a fast-paced game? She'd end up with hair in her mouth, and no amount of CreamSilk could keep that hair away from her pretty little face!
Granted, there's nothing wrong with owning the jersey (or whatever the coveted sports outfit entails) and looking your best out there. But girls in sports have a lot more goal-oriented priorities than the state of their hair. Athletic skill has never really been about image or maintaining appearances, but when sponsorships and endorsements come in, there's a whole new package waiting to be conceived.
Who knows what say they (or their coaches) had in the matter before agreeing to peddle shampoo - unless, of course, they didn't see any harm in it. Just like it seems mostly harmless to intensively promote sports apparel and the athletes who sport them with such youthful vigor that it's easy to ignore the sweatshop conditions behind the production of their branded shoes and clothing.
