Miley Cyrus seductively poses on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine, wearing Mac Lipstick, she captures the consumers attention instantaneously. The use of controversial images to promote interest successfully peddles products because the current era of pop culture. Due to the recent rise of social media, consumers have the ability to track or “follow” their idols. Producers use idols tactfully to incorporate their products into popular social networks like Instagram. Subliminal messaging is an old advertising technique that has been revolutionized with advancing social technology.
Subliminal messaging is the driving force behind social network advertising. When Miley Cyrus posts a picture on Instagram her fans notice everything. These fans interpret the picture and more than likely recognize the products she uses. Therefore, when Miley poses on the cover of a fashion magazine like Cosmopolitan using a product like Mac Lipstick, interest will spark like a wild fire. This is no accident. Miley Cyrus is an inspirational artist preaching the power of women and self expression through her music.
Our generation(early twenties) grew up watching the former sweet young Miley on Disney Channel. When she made the bold transition into an edgy adult, she was widely accepted for her confidence when promoting her image. In today’s world musicians like Miley Cyrus dominate trend setting in pop culture. Miley’s ad personifies the provocative trends found in pop culture today while Cosmopolitan capitalizes on the desperation of young women wanting to clone her style. Cosmopolitan plasters Miley’s risque image with an advertisement for Mac Lipstick planting the idea that the product enabled her look.
Cosmopolitan is a fashion magazine. Therefore, the audience is made up of young admiring fashionistas. These young women mold their images based on popular looks. Cosmopolitan is their connection to the latest trends in glamour and beauty. When these young woman see idols like Miley on the cover they attempt to clone the image. The Mac logo appears over the photo implying that buying the lipstick is the first step in embodying the look. This proves Miley serves the purpose of legitimizing the popularity of the look, while Mac, takes responsibility for creating the look.
Because of this, the viewer is blind to the fact that they do not have the same body, while assuming that Mac will make their body look like Miley’s. Miley’s pose in the ad creates an additional level of sex appeal persuading consumers to purchase Mac Lipstick. Miley’s thumbs penetrate her belt loops as she seductively tugs her waistband towards the south revealing a questionable amount of skin. Miley also wears a low cut top further seducing the audience by showing off her cleavage. She is not smiling.
Her mouth is opened slightly with an intense stare enabling the memorization of the reader. Miley Cyrus notorious for her persona; she is young, wealthy, and beautiful. Cosmopolitan uses a technique many authors use to promote their books. Take Stephen King for example; the eye catching text on the cover of his books does not contain the title. It is the author Stephen King himself because his works are more recognizable than his book titles. Cosmopolitan plants the Mac Lipstick product in large text on the cover while Miley Cyrus appears in fine print located in the corner of the page.
They do this because Miley is already recognized, so their goal is to put the emphasis on the product that put Miley on the cover. Miley is seductive and sexy; Therefore Mac Lipstick becomes subliminally associated with the same description. This tactic is very successful. This is bvious because the magazine uses the same technique in all of it’s issues. Due to advancements in technology this issue of Cosmopolitan is an online text which encourages it’s readers to share the products to their social networks boosting the sale of products such as Mac Lipstick.
Think of the ad as bait in a catfish pond of social media. Social networks rely on pop culture for content. Miley’s popularity will prompt people to share the Mac Lipstick ad. This creates a chain in which the ad is constantly shared creating added popularity for the product. This is yet another reason Cosmopolitan and Mac Lipstick use idols like Miley Cyrus to promote their products. As long as the current celebrity trends continue advertisement methods like the one used here are sure to thrive. Pop culture trends change with every generation.
Producers will continue to capitalize on these trends regardless of what figures remain idolized. As time goes on Women will develop new ideals abolishing this trend of provocative fashion. Pop culture is an endless cycle. Advancing technology continues to compound the success of companies able to remain advanced enough to stay unto date. In closing the Mac Lipstick ad is successful because of it’s celebrity status, it’s sex appeal, and the adaptations to technology allowing the ad to be constantly shared with the expanding social networks.
