Women in various states of beautifying themselves with cosmetic products as "How Lovely to Be a Woman" from Bye Bye Birdie chirps brightly over the action. This continues for much of the commercial until the selling message - Walmart has loads of well-known cosmetic brands at low prices! - is revealed at the conclusion.
What confused me was the ad's tone, which came off - to this viewer - as completely tongue-in-cheek. Poking fun at the level of effort women go through to 'make themselves beautiful.' I'm not sure if it was the video footage itself (a couple women looked to be preparing for clown auditions). Or the soundtrack. Or both.
I'll readily admit I'm not their target audience. My beauty regimen, if we can even call it that, normally consists of face lotion and chapstick. Maybe a tinted lip gloss if I'm feeling particularly sassy that morning. Was I being overly cynical? Too sensitive to the level of pressure already placed on women's physical appearances? Maybe.
But after the ad finished, I turned to my husband and asked what he thought - without leading the witness in any way. His reaction: it's making fun of cosmetics.
I doubt that's what Walmart is hoping for.
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