Discovery Girls

COPYRIGHT 2004 Fairchild Publications, Inc. Byline: Erin E. Clack

PERCEPTION VS. REALITY

With the images of flawless people staring them down in the pages of every magazine they pick up, it's no surprise today's young girls face feelings of not-quite measuring up. In an effort to dispel the self-esteem-inflating myth of perfection perpetuated by the media, "Discovery Girls" magazine took tween readers behind the scenes of a fashion photo shoot in a special feature titled "Is She for Real?" The magazine's editors plucked a regular, 11-year-old girl off the street and - with the help of a team of stylists, hair extensions, layers of makeup and flattering lighting - transformed her into a picture-perfect cover girl. Using before and after photos, Discovery Girls illustrates point by point how the image is manipulated with extensive digital retouching and editing to create the illusion of flawlessness. The model's skin tone is brightened and smoothed out, the shadows on her neck are deepened to make it appear longer, and her body is trimmed and stretched to make her look taller and leaner, among other tweaks.

COVER TO COVER

Today's tween girls spend hours poring over the pages of glossy magazines. Now, they can take their passion for magazines to another level with Hasbro's new Cover to Cover game. Armed with an electronic game unit and four of their favorite mags, girls compete to find a person, place or thing, such as the ugliest dress or Justin Timberlake. The first player to complete the tasks earns a scoring card. Whoever manages to collect four scoring cards first, wins the game, which retails for $20. 888.836.7025

Did you know?

Ninety-two percent of tweens recognize television commercials for what they are. About 75% regard billboards and radio spots as paid advertising. And about 50% recognize promotional media, such as product placements on television shows.