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Ogilvy totally hearts "normal" women
I'm not a big fan of this campaign, but I love grafitti. And as New Yorkers are wont to do, they have taken up their markers and added some funny/insightful/disturbing comments to this series of ads from Ogilvy and Dove. At first glance it might seem liberating to have normal women with average bodies shill for your product. However, a second glance shows that looking like a normal, non-skinny woman is something to correct. Same old Madison Ave. prejudices wrapped up in a seemingly "heroic" wrapper.
For more examples, see the good people at jossip:
link
Posted by Marc d'Avignon in A Word to the Wise | Permalink
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Comments
I wrote that.
I hate those ads.
Posted by: Nicool | Jul 28, 2005 11:25:36 AM
Why do you hate them?
I'm not sure how I feel about them. Normally, I belong to the camp that wants to see perfection when it comes to health/beauty/cosmetic ads. I know I'll never look like that. I know that they're airbrushed. For me, that's part of the appeal. The draw.
But I do know a lot of women who are in LOVE with the campaign. So what the hell do I know?
From an advertising perspective, I feel that they could have been executed a lot better.
Posted by: danielli | Jul 28, 2005 3:13:49 PM
I'm sick of the word, "curves" being used as a substitute for fat. Just say fat. Your lips won't fall off.
Posted by: cc | Aug 1, 2005 1:13:33 PM
I hate them because they're trying too hard. Look at the expressions on those women's faces. The other day I almost puked walking by a wall plastered with 40 of the same ad. The same woman, with a stupid smile, happy to be standing around in her sexy (not) white underwear. I guess it was this exact ad and woman posted here.
I am probably the target for this campaign. I'm not small, I'm not skinny, I have fat on me. But I don't want to see a billboard with plus-sized women in white underwear feeling empowered together.
If they're trying to show real people, then show them. Real people means skinny and fat and everyone in between. They chose models that seem like they're all the same size. They make it seem like that's what a real woman is.
I guess I agree with Danielli, in that the execution is terrible.
I also think that this campaign could have been done without showing a bunch of happy volumptuous girls celebrating in their underwear. Show me what the product does. Don't just show me who you thinks it's for. The ad would just as effective (or equally ineffective) if it was just the product shot and the line, and a lot less annoying.
Egh, I don't know. Just make them all go away. Especially the huge one in the Union Square subway terminal.
Posted by: Nicool | Aug 3, 2005 12:34:26 PM
I'm also sick of the word "hearts" being used as a substitute for "loves". So 2004. But that's neither here nor there.
Posted by: cc | Aug 4, 2005 12:59:47 PM
I think my headline post should be read in a the manner of Frank Zappa's outstanding song (voiced partly by his daughter) Valley Girl. It changes everything.
Posted by: Marc d'Avignon | Aug 8, 2005 6:43:12 PM
CC are you blind? She is not fat. Just because she is not skinny, it does not make her fat.
It is too bad that people like you think everyone needs to come out of a cookie cutter(not that you would ever let a cookie touch your lips). I wish I could put on a few pounds and look like this. I hate being a stick, but everyone is different so we have to accept the body that we have.
I do agree that the majority of them are not well executed and lack and artistry.
Posted by: Leah | Feb 16, 2009 7:41:36 PM
Oi prat who wrote that!
There are people out there who are suffering from Anorexia and Bulemia due to images of skinny women that they feel they have to look like to be loved or wanted by anyone. I think real women in the media need to be seen as opposed to women who are known to have eating disorders and cause thousands upon thousands of poor confused teenagers to think they will never get anywhere in life without looking like that!
The appeal you will never get because they are airbrushed but makes you want it that you'll do anything to get it is unfiar on teenagers and women as it is false advertisement to make you buy the product and then makes them think nothing is ever going to work so they starve themselves.
Do you really want a promoter to promote something that causes decay within bodies, organ failiure, teeth erosion, alepesha, screwed up reproductive body systems, and diaghphrams to tear away from the body that they then are at risk of death? Because i know i would prefer to be on the side of promoters promoting real women as opposed to these stick thin women who are put so much pressure on to look perfect that they feel they have to subject their bodies to such ill health. Because i would go with Dove anyday for promoting a good body image of someone not underweight and not overweight but in a position that real women can think yes i can look like this,i can look real and have the body of a woman!
Posted by: Steph | Oct 18, 2009 7:44:36 PM
How about not objectifying or feeling the need to correct women. At all.
Posted by: e | Nov 18, 2009 3:36:04 PM
