A STUDY ON THE ADVERTISEMENTS RELATED TO SLIMMING PRODUCTS IN PRINT MEDIA AND ITS IMPACT AMONG YOUNGSTERS

Today’s trend there is a noticeable raise in the frequency of advertisements of slimming and weight loss products in print media. Being slim has become an obsession for many people in the last couple of decades. Recently many people do not have conscious about slim toned bodies in naturally, so generally these people should constantly be vigilant in methods that will help lose some fat like diet and other methods to conform to current ideals. Many slimming product sellers employ promotion as a tool to persuade youngsters by inculcating creative ideas. These advertisements are highly exaggerated, and they can easily influence the people especially youngsters who are conscious about their appearance. The major objective of this is to analyze the content of various slimming advertisements in print media and to find out its impact among youngsters. The research methodologies used are content analysis and survey method. Through this study it is evident that slimming advertisements use print media as an effective tool to persuade the target audience.


INTRODUCTION
Many years, advertisement plays a major role among people in creating awareness among weight loss information targeting with message to achieve their slimming body reflection. This has led to a noticeable increase in the frequency of advertisements of slimming and weight loss products. Anderson et al. (2008) p.18 Everyone dreams to have a slender and fit body, and this has become an obsession for many people in the last couple of decades. Many discoveries in the recent years have brought in many messages related to metabolizing functions of body. There have been so many products in market for slimming, weight loss like pills and some slimming products, cosmetics, surgeries, and other equipment's which promise quick ways to lose fat. Bansal et al. (2010) p.36 Obviously, the key cause of this occurrence is the ubiquitous weight loss commercials. Many diets product selling companies use advertisements as an instrument to persuade youngsters by instilling the perception of slim is beauty in their minds. Mostly women consumers are vigorously having conscious about their slim beauty then men and this extremely tends to choose slimming products and to consume in weight loss process rather than natural food diet and exercise etc. Brown (2005) p.69. Hence repetitive weight loss advertisements appearing in media are exaggerated immensely to appeal to the target audience.
Advertisements found in media about such products lure them to take a step ahead and try it, since this creates harmful to the body and change ahead and try it since this creates harmful to the body and change metabolic level in creating many disorders in the human body. Bordo (2003) p.164 Lot of people, especially youngsters inclined to prefer slimming weight loss products to maintain slim beauty and blindly follow these advertisements. Frequency of the advertisements for slimming products appearing in print media is notably high. There seems to be a lot of exaggeration in the advertisements for slimming products. Lots of tricks and tactics are used by these advertisements to attract the target audience. Diaz (2011) p.57. This study would help us to understand various slimming advertisements appearing in print media and the impact created among the youngsters. Cohen (2006) p.98. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyse various advertisements related to slimming products in print media and to find out its impact among youngsters.

OBJECTIVES
• To find the advertisements related to slimming products in print media.
• To analyse the content of various advertisements through print media.
• To find the impact of these advertisements among youngsters.
In this context, it becomes important to study the advertisements related to slimming products and services appearing in print media. It is essential to understand the characteristics of these advertisements by analysing them. Grogan (2008) p.64 The impact created by these advertisements can also be studied to know the opinion of the target audience who are mostly youngsters and how it has affected them.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Methodology adopted for this study was, • Content Analysis • Survey Method

CONTENT ANALYSIS
The main purpose of this study was to analyse Advertisements related to Slimming Products in Print media. In this study advertisements related to slimming products and services were collected from selected Newspapers and magazines for content analysis. A total of about 65 advertisements from more than 22 companies were reviewed from around 50 separate issues of different publications. These ads were individually analysed based on certain parameters. Advertisements that appeared in Newspapers and Magazines for three months of April to June 2019 and 2020 were selected for analysis.
Some of the leading Newspapers and Magazines were selected for analysing the slimming advertisements.

SURVEY METHOD
In this study, a Survey was used to measure the impact of slimming advertisements among youngsters. The sampling method used for this study is purposive sampling. Hence, Purposive sampling is used in this study as the respondents should have regular access to at least one of the selected publications. Also, only those respondents who said they have passion to become slim were chosen since they will look out for slimming advertisements.
Sampling specifications with regard to this research

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE
There are many theories have been stated and developed to elucidate dissimilar features of persuasion of various media and its influence. One such theory which is relevant to this field of study is discussed below. Cognitive response theory is an attempt to understand how people's attitude change when they look at persuasive slimming advertisements. Kapadia and Kalidas (2009) p.112. People who have the thought that they are fat, and they have to slim down are likely to have more chances of being persuaded by these advertisements. Hobbs et al. (2006)p. 301

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
The methodology adopted for the study is Content Analysis and Survey. Various slimming advertisements from print media were collected and analysed based on the given parameters. The content analysis has been divided into four categories, Food and Pharma, Physical Equipment's, Slimming Centres and Cosmetics & Surgery. The interpretation of data is presented in table format. The results of survey to measure the impact of the advertisements among youngsters are depicted in the form of pie charts.

CONTENT ANALYSIS
A total of about 65 advertisements from more than 22 companies were reviewed from around 50 separate issues of different publications.

PARAMETERS USED FOR CONTENT ANALYSIS
The advertisements were individually analysed based on parameters given below.

Content/ Message
The ad claims that using the product can help lose weight naturally.
Instructions on how to use the product is given along with a lot of everyday tips for weight loss. Research is also stated to prove the usefulness of the product.
Tulsi green tea is promoted as an organic product good for everyone. Features of the product are also highlighted in bullet points.
Herbalife is claimed as a nutritional product. General information about the company is also given.

Visualization
This ad uses a wide horizontal layout with a pink colour background. The logo is placed on the top left and the product name is given in big bold letters. Image of The headlines of this ad are based on valentine's day. Red is used as the standard theme in the layout. An image of a modern housewife is shown on the right side of the layout. Heart The product is given main importance in the layout. Green colour which is associated with the product is shown in the background. Logo is placed on the top right adjacent to the headline The layout uses a black background. The line 'Be at the top of your game' is used as the headline. Three different sports personalities are the product is given on the right side of the layout.
shaped graphics are used to denote valentine's day. Content which gives information and tips are given in two columns. The product is also highlighted at the bottom of the layout.
stating 'Discover true wellnesses. Image of the product is placed in the centre. Features of the product are highlighted in bullet points at the bottom of the layout. seen endorsing the product to attract the target. Product images and general information about the company are also given.

Characters
None A woman of 25 -30 age group is shown to represent a modern housewife.

None
Three different sports personalities namely Virat Kohli, Mari Kom and Saina Nehwal are shown.

Ethical Value
This ad claims we can lose weight naturally, but it is not proved.
No major exaggeration was there. It was mentioned that the product is 98% fat free which is not proved.
This ad doesn't use any unethical claims.
This ad doesn't use any unethical claims.

Communication Objective
To sell their product.
To sell their product.
To sell the product.
To sell the product.

Appeal
Rational Rational Rational Rational, Brand, Endorsement Features about the products and services are listed in bullet points.

PHYSICAL EQUIPMENTS
It carries a message that they sell treadmills, and other physical equipment's.

Product description is
given.
Information about the products is given.
It says the company deals with sales and service of physical equipment's. Cropped photo focusing the body of a muscular man with six packs is shown in this ad.
A woman of 20 -25 age group working on a physical equipment is shown.

Ethical Value
No unethical claims are used in this ad.
No unethical claims are used in this ad.
No unethical claims are used in this ad.
No unethical claims are used.
It uses an unethical claim stating, 'Lose 5 kgs in 5 days.' And exaggerated content.
This ad doesn't use any unethical claims.

Communicat ion Objective
To sell fitness equipment's.
To sell fitness equipment's.
To sell fitness equipment's.
To sell fitness equipment's.
To sell fitness equipment's.
To sell their products.

Appeal
Rational, Brand Rational Rational Rational Rational Rational

Communicat ion Objective
To make men and women join their centre.
To make men and women join their centre.
To make women join their centre.
To make men and women join their centre.
To make men and women join their centre.
To make men and women join their centre.
To make women join their centre.
To promot e their service s. represented to target women. and slim shape. The main content is highlighted in the centre with bullet points. Two sets of before and after images are shown to represent 'Vaser Lipo' and 'Tummytuck'. the logo. Weight management programme is also given with before and after images.

Characters
A woman of 20 -25 age group is shown in the before and after images.
A slim woman in her 20's wearing tight fitting clothes is used to create an impact on the target.
A cropped image of a woman focusing her hip, and also before and after images of two men is shown.

None
Three different sports personalities namely Virat Kohli, Mari Kom and Saina Nehwal are shown.

Ethical Value
The ad uses exaggerated images and content.
This ad is highly exaggerated by using many positive terms to describe the surgery without using any negative aspects.
Too much of exaggerated content. Before and after images are highly exaggerated.
This ad uses exaggerated content and images.
It contains exaggerated images.

Communication Objective
To promote their services.
To promote their services.
To promote their services.
To promote their services.
To promote their services.

Appeal
Fear, rational Rational Rational Rational Fear, Rational

ANALYSIS OF SURVEY
In the survey method, around 100 samples answered the questionnaire, and their individual opinions were collected. Samples included both men and women of 18 -30 age group, so there is no discrimination in the gender category.

Figure 1 Media that has frequent Slimming Advertisements
This data reveals that nearly half the number of respondents felt that print media has more frequency of slimming advertisements particularly 41% said newspaper and 11 % said magazine. Television was chosen by 29% of the respondents. Few respondents chose internet, and a very few chose other medium like mobile and outdoor media.

PUBLICATION THAT HAS FREQUENT SLIMMING ADVERTISEMENTS
Most of the respondents chose print and also clearly stated that the Hindu and Times of India has more frequency of slimming advertisements while a few mentioned Fermina, Kumu dam, Daily Thanthi and other publications. This clearly shows that regional newspapers like the Hindu and Times of India carry a greater number of slimming advertisements. Figure 2 Average number of slimming advertisements found everyday Out of the total respondents, 67% revealed that on an average they approximately find less than 5 slimming advertisements every day and 31% said 6 to 10 advertisements. Very few said they find more than 10 advertisements. This data shows that there is a probability of people to encounter at least one slimming advertisement on an average day.

THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY COULD RECALL IMMEDIATELY
Since this is an open-ended question, it is not calculated in percentage. Most of the respondents said they could recall VLCC Slimming and fitness centre easily, while a few respondents said Sauna Belt and Orbitrek equipment's which are famous in TV channels. Products like Kellogg's special slim, Herbalife nutrition and fitness drink, Dr Tea, WellCare were also mentioned by a few. All the abovementioned brands were frequently advertised in print media. This shows that people do remember various slimming advertisements from different medium. Munshi (2001) p.28

MEDIA BEST SUITED FOR SLIMMING ADVERTISEMENTS
This question was used to find which media could be the best suited for slimming advertisements. Most of the respondents chose more than one medium since it was an open-ended question. More than half of the respondents answered this question with print media that includes newspapers and magazines. This was closely followed by television with approximately half of the respondents choosing it. Leon and Kanuk (2004) p.125 A few respondents said internet, and a very few mentioned mobile and outdoor media. This data reveals that many people expect more slimming advertisements in print media.

Figure 3 Whether they are influenced by Slimming Advertisements
This question was to find out whether the slimming advertisements really influence the people. 57% of the respondents may not be influenced, but it has definitely created an impact on them. The rest 43% were clearly seemed to be influenced. This shows that people influenced by the slimming advertisements are not less in number. Figure 4 How they feel on seeing Slimming Advertisements After seeing slimming advertisements, 63% of the respondents were not sure if they felt jealous or didn't have any change in them, so they opted for neutral. While 24% confidently said they had no change in their emotions, 10% agreed that they felt jealous. Very few respondents said they felt inferior. From this data, we can note that slimming advertisements may affect the emotions of people.

IMPACT OF SLIMMING ADVERTISEMENTS ON THEIR
DIET OR EATING BEHAVIOUR Figure 5 Impact of Slimming Advertisements on their diet or eating behaviour The above data shows that 76% of the respondents were confident that the advertisements never had any impact on their diet or eating behaviour. The rest 24% of the respondents had the impact. This reveals that not many people have changed their regular eating behaviour, but few people had the impact. There are chances of these few people getting affected with eating disorders like Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.

WHETHER THE PROMISING MESSAGES OF THESE
ADVERTISEMENTS IS TRUSTWORTHY Figure 6 Whether the promising messages of these Advertisements is trustworthy Most of the respondents felt that the promising messages found in these advertisements were not trustworthy. 44% of the respondents said they neither agree nor disagree by opting for neutral. 31% said that they disagree while 15% said they strongly disagree. Very few people said they agree the fact. This represents that most of the people don't trust these advertisements since they are exaggerated and do not hold any ethical value.

Figure 7
Whether they compare themselves with models used in the Advertisements Many respondents were not ready to accept that they compared themselves with the models used in these advertisements as 39% of them opted for neutral. But 28% of them agreed with this fact followed by 24% who disagreed with the same. Few of them strongly disagreed and very few of them strongly agreed. This data shows that people are influenced by the models used in these advertisements.

Figure 8 The main target of Slimming Advertisements
For this question, there are mixed response from the respondents as 56% said that the advertisements mostly target only women and 44% said that both men and women are equally targeted. It was also noted that not even a single respondent felt that the target are mostly men. This clearly shows that mostly women are targeted by many slimming advertisements.

WHETHER THEY HAVE TRIED, WERE TRYING OR
MIGHT TRY AFTER SEEING THESE ADVERTISEMENTS Figure 9 Whether they have tried, were trying or might try after seeing these Advertisements For the question on which product or service they have tried, were trying or might try after seeing these advertisements, 50% of them responded with gym or slimming centres. This data shows that gym and slimming centres are very popular among men and women. Many respondents said they haven't tried any product or service to maintain their weight and fitness. Very few respondents said they used slimming pills and medicines. Some of the other respondents said they used Kellogg's, Herbalife, and Get Trim.

CONCLUSION
This study focused on the advertisements related to slimming products appearing in print media. Slimming advertisements can be frequently noticed in newspapers and magazines. These advertisements can easily influence people particularly youngsters. The impact it has created on them cannot be overlooked. False or misleading advertisements can create negative effects on the readers. Starks et al. (2004) p.68 From this study it can be concluded that slimming advertisements use print media as an effective tool to persuade the target audience through repetitive advertisements. Misleading claims and exaggerated images are commonly used by the advertisers to lure youngsters and it has created a big impact on them. Eye catching headlines, graphics, content, and images are commonly used in these advertisements to capture the attention of readers. Women are the primary target of these advertisers since health consciousness and the passion to become slim is more among them compared to men. Further, it also influences both men and women and cultivates appearance dissatisfaction in them. Unless the publishers and government start to review questionable slimming advertisements and take disciplinary action, the slimming product selling industries will persist to endure from a deficient. Finally, individuals should also be aware of the lack of credibility in these advertisements and should know how to filter the communication passed through these advertisements.