In this back-to-school commercial, the Sephora cosmetic company promotes its line of Hello Kitty products. A female student appears bored and disinterested in her studies, as text appears on screen: “Studying is more fun when glasses come with glamor.” Much to her delight, the girl opens her desk to unveil a plethora of Hello Kitty brand cosmetics. Soon, she lets her hair down, changes into a black catsuit, erases mathematical formulas from the chalkboard and searches out a fashionable scarf from her bookshelf, which she fashions into a bow. The commercial ends with a title card stating, “Pretty Smart. Hello Kitty,” along with a checklist of Hello Kitty cosmetic products that make up a “Back to School Beauty List.”

discussion

Who is the intended audience for this commercial? Consider audio, visual and other cues in the advertisement that help you draw this conclusion.

What kind of values related to education and beauty does this commercial assume its intended audience maintains? How does this match up to your values regarding education and beauty?