The Mental Health Committee hosted a viewing of “The Illusionists” in partnership with the VIP Center. 

The 2015 documentary focused on advertising for beauty products across the world, connecting the industry to self-image issues and eating disorders. The film was broken into three parts. “Part One, Insecurity Sells,” emphasized that the “ideal consumer is constantly dissatisfied.” 

Creighton students that were in attendance agreed with this statement and discussed how they see marketing for products today, comparing it with how they were marketing in the film in 2015. 

Ash Aldabute, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said that the beauty industry is “hijacking the concept of self-care” in the post-viewing discussion. She talked about the shift in the marketing of products in things like wrinkle cream becoming luminating face masks. 

This section also discussed how men’s beauty is being marketed at higher rates, creating an unrealistic expectation surrounding men’s musculature and lack of body hair. Men’s insecurities and societal expectations that are created by this advertising have made room for a new market for men’s “improvement” products. 

“Part Two, Black and White,” touches on racism within the beauty standard. Lighter skin is an ideal that is constantly being chased throughout Asian countries, with the film mainly focusing on India and China. Skin lightening creams are being advertised to people everywhere in these countries. 

Sangeetha Kumar, Associate Director for Student Care and Outreach, recalls her visits to family in India. “Fair & Lovely ads are just everywhere, and my aunties were ashamed if they were darker skinned,” Kumar said.

The film then pointed out that in the Western world, the opposite is marketed. The general message behind many ads that the movie displayed focused on people being tanner.  

Body image was also talked about in this section, mentioning how models in advertisements have gotten skinnier and skinnier to chase the thin ideal. Impossibly small body proportions were achieved via Photoshop and put into ad campaigns everywhere. 

“Brave New World” was the title of documentary’s third part. Children’s exploitation was the focus, specifically how markets are targeting younger and younger children for the same products. 

Young girls have a tendency to imitate older girls, and advertising companies have taken this to mean that they should market to those younger people as if they are older. Age-appropriate advertising has faded in favor of marketing products typically made for and used by older age groups. 

The film does make the distinction that this marketing and sexualization of younger people is not about sex, but about consumerism. These industries need people to believe that they would be better with just one more product, and if sex is the product, then so be it. 

The film ends with an encouragement to “put your money where your values are” and leave exploitative companies in the past in order to become a wholistically healthier and happier version of yourself.