Final Project: Wethinkyourestupid.com

For my final project I created a website called http://wethinkyourestupid.com. The content of the website includes images, ads, and parody advertisements that I made commenting on the ridiculousness of what is promoted to women in mass print media. My goal was to make the website entertaining and informative. The title of the site, as well as the brand and logo created for it is We Think You're Stupid:

The idea is that so many companies use or create ads that are so blatantly insulting, downgrading, patronizing, and condescending toward their target audience (be it men or women), that it has become impossible for me to ignore. It seems as though they are saying "here is a ridiculous ad, and you'll like it because we think you're stupid." The silliness, in my opinion does not just begin and end with advertisements, however. Ridiculousness is all around us in the mass print media. Magazine covers, for instance have some seriously inane topics on them such as 'the surprising trait that 80% of men find sexy!' which appeared on the cover of the May 2007 Cosmopolitan magazine. Or, 'call him or text? The new rules' on a May 2011 cover. Also Cosmo. We see the promotion of stupidity all the time on covers, while topics such as '80 ways to further yourself in your career,' or 'how to find peace within yourself,' is rarely seen. Of course, as we discussed in class there are mags out there that are not so consumed with consumerism and actually care about the consumer (see what I did there?), but those are few and far between and do not succeed as the top sellers. 

It is literally as if they are screaming at us:

'BUY BUY BUY THATS THE ONLY WAY YOU'LL BE PRETTY AND HAPPY AND ACCEPTED AND FUN. YOU DON'T KNOW THAT OUR ADVERTISERS PAY OUR PUBLISHING BILLS AND WE'RE PRETTY MUCH THEIR PUPPETS SO BUYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

I have always been interested in advertising and the way it is able to draw people in. In fact, my hatred for what is so often shoved down our throats by advertisers is what made me reluctant to work in the field, say, at an ad agency. I still have not decided if I will, knowing that I will be given project ideas that i don't agree with. However, I still love design and using Photoshop and creating images that are visually appealing but also have some substance, and that is exactly the content that I put on my website. The site also doubles as an artist's portfolio because it contains my art creations on the subject of women in media in three portfolios/categories. 

The website also is linked to my Twitter account where I have started to do what I have always done sporadically on Facebook, but never really got into: taking pictures of ads I see and posting my own comment(s) about them. Whether positive or negative, progressive or stuck in the Victorian age, I take snapshots of ads that invoke a strong opinion in me, and I post them. 

I hope you all enjoy the website and its various images. It is meant to open eyes and wake people up to what we should be seeing, but don't, and how we've grown so accustomed to the fluff, that actual substantive content is surprising. 

Continue reading for sources:

Works Cited

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-, Virginia, Christina. "Shape Shifter." Hong Kong Fashion Geek. N.p., 6 Aug. 2010. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. <http://www.hkfashiongeek.com/2010/08/shape-shifter.html>.

-, legrandcirque. "Woman modelling a corset, 1898." HISTORY, FASHION, ROMANCE AND DEADPAN SNARKING. N.p., 6 Aug. 2010. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. <http://staysandstories.tumblr.com/post/26172188576/legrandcirque-woman-modelling-a-corset-1898>.

Amber, Mia. "Good Old Fashioned, High Fashion Sizism." MiaAmber.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. <http://miaamber.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/good-old-fashioned-high-fashion-sizism/>.

Ambros, Hua. "Star in Focus: Kristen Stewart without make-up." AMOG. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. <http://amog.com/entertainment/focus-kristen-stewart/attachment/kristen-stewart-without-make-up/>.

Berman, Judy. "The Top 10 Katy Perry Boob Moments  –  Flavorwire." Flavorwire. N.p., 28 Oct. 2010. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. <http://www.flavorwire.com/127110/the-top-10-katy-perry-boob-moments>.

Blog, Tumblr, Bird. "Bird Blog Sample ." Bird Blog Sample . N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. <http://birdblogsample.tumblr.com/post/21292200235/model-rachel-scott-ny-model-mgmt-clothes-suno>.

Coles, Joanna. "Cover." Cosmopolitan May 2007: Cover. Print.

Coles, Joanna. "Cover." Cosmopolitan May 2011: 0. Print.

Falcão, Daniela. "cover." Vogue Brazil May 2011: 0. Print.

Levi, Danielle. "Street Style." LA MODELLA MAFIA. N.p., 25 Nov. 2012. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. <http://lamodellamafia.com/category/street-style>.

Pyy, Outi. "Stylish hand-me-down baggy pants." OutsaPop Trashion. Blogger, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. <http://www.outsapop.com/2009/01/stylish-hand-me-down-baggy-pants.html>.

colors. "Yogurt Wallpaper." WallpaperCASA.com | iPhone 5, New iPad Retina, 1920 1080 HD, Widescreen, Android Wallpapers  - WallpaperCASA.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. <http://www.wallpapercasa.com/woman_face_milk_yogurt-115733.html>.