Cultivation theory suggests that media exposure over time leads to a distortion in the perception of reality by its viewers. Through active engagement with media, like watching television or playing video games, there is the chance that pervasive, and not necessarily true, scenarios/images will become accepted as common. This would explain the concern around children playing violent video games and stereotypical behavior, for example by minorities, accepted as normal. The standards of beauty revolve around what is shown in advertising, where women who make up only a small percentage of the average body types are held as models.
Source: Google images "Victoria's Secret"
One word to describe the Victoria's Secret ads and stores is "sexy." With my experience of their commercials they show women who are thin, yet curvy, that push out their chests and pose in lacy bras and panties. I do not dislike Victoria's Secret, but I can relate to other girls that have seen the commercials, tried on their clothes and seen to our dismay that we look nothing like the models. Their commercials are glamourous and flashy and they portray the models as literal angels sometimes. This to a young girl may be intimidating because it gives the impression that looking like Heidi Klum or Tyra Banks is what is attractive to men. At first, the commercials seemed too exposing when I first saw them but now they are not such a big deal. Cultivation theory supports why Victoria's Secret ads make girls want to look like and be their models after getting over the initial shock of their lack of modesty.
Cultivation theory shows how influential a brand like Victoria's Secret can be. By watching their commercials for years as a young girl, it makes sense why so many teenage girls feel the need to lose weight or get breast implants to try and conform to their seductive look.
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