Advertisements are the one aspect of a business that have the ability to catch a customer’s attention in a matter of seconds. It’s a company’s way of simultaneously selling itself to millions of people with the exact same approach. Every individual is different, so not all ads have the same effect. With Photoshop, however, businesses are one step closer to successfully persuading all of their clients.
Advocates of Photoshop are slimming as the program has begun to skew one’s perception of authenticity. There was a bill brought to Congress in late April that has stirred up a much needed reality check. “The Truth in Advertising Act (H.R. 4341) is a bi-partisan bill created by Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lethinen and Democratic Rep. Lois Capps that demands a plan be set forth to regulate excessive Photoshop use in advertisements,” according to Peta Pixel.
The outcome of the bill has not yet been decided, but it has raised sufficient question in the legislative body. The issue doesn’t seem to be Photoshop itself, but the extent to which it has become an overarching necessity.
The Globe and Mail asked Dan Strasser, an art director and associate creative director at Bensimon Byrne in Toronto, if he felt an untouched photo would provoke an adverse response. “Hands down. It’s just expected. Everything gets retouched…even if you’re just taking a photo of a natural setting. You’re going to tweak the colour balance,” Strasser said.
So whose fault is it – the businesses’ or the culture? Either way, Photoshop has begun to renovate the idea of reality, and there’s no telling what or who is next to be under construction.
Examples of Before and after images:
Photo: Facebook/Instagram
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