Beauty by comparison

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School of Business | Bachelor's thesis
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Date

2025

Department

Markkinoinnin laitos

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Mcode

Degree programme

Markkinointi

Language

en

Pages

47

Series

Abstract

This thesis examines how beauty ideals are portrayed in advertising and how these portrayals affect consumers through the lens of Festinger’s Social Comparison Theory. The research is based on a quantitative and qualitative bibliometric analysis, which was used to identify key metrics and map the central themes that shape the academic fields around beauty ideals in advertising. The analysis is based on a selected body of literature that mainly reflects Westerns beauty standards and focuses on specific dimensions of beauty. As a result, perspectives such as the experiences of ethnic minorities, gender minorities, and people with disabilities remain underrepresented in this study. The findings show how beauty ideals in advertising often trigger social comparison processes and demonstrate how these comparisons can influence individuals psychologically, socially and behaviourally. These effects shape self-perception, societal expectations, and consumer behaviour. The study also discusses implications for marketers, theoretical contributions, and ethical challenges linked to presenting beauty ideals, as well as opportunities for more inclusive representation. In addition, the thesis outlines limitations and considers directions for future research.

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Thesis advisor

Sakhnovskaia, Elizaveta

Keywords

beauty ideals, social comparison theory, comparison, body image

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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202601181416

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[kand] Kauppakorkeakoulu / BIZ