This book deals with the impact of the sociocultural environment on body-image in Western
consumer culture. Based on McCracken's (1986) meaning-transfer model the author has created a
body-image meaning-transfer (BIMT) model. It suggests how cultural discourse and interactions
can shape individual consumers' understanding of socially 'good' and 'bad' bodies. It
emphasizes the notable impact of mainstream advertising media and celebrity culture that
commonly promote a thin-and-muscular beauty-ideal and the process of normalization which
implies feelings of guilt anxiety public observation and failure. Both can ultimately lead
to negative body-images and body-dissatisfaction among individuals. In contrast alternative
campaigns against the current beauty-ideal and towards healthier body-images are introduced.
Two focus group discussions among young adults from the UK and Germany provide insight into the
timeliness of the topic concerned.
