[snark]
If there are hot guys in all the billboards, why aren't more guys suffering to look like that?
And what about all those ads that make men look like morons who can't tie their own shoelaces and a long-suffering but loving spouse who solves all their problems in a thrice? Oy! The pressure!
[/snark]
To follow up tvash's (tark? the tarkster? the tarkulator?) point, I have a friend in the international modeling biz and she pretty much validates what you said. From her description, every one of her colleagues is completely messed up and has these horrible dysfunctional family histories. She herself isn't immune to to the latter, but is fortunately from the eating disorder problem.
archenemy, that's a good question. since ads are usually driven by client demand, I'd imagine it has to do with clients trying to be 'edgy' instead of pushing a particular ideal of 'beauty'. What better way to separate youth from their dollars than to sell them something that makes them feel they aren't mainstream? After all, the ads are ultimately trying to sell clothes, nothing more.