Victoria’s Secret changes course on ‘Perfect Body’ ads
November 8, 2014 by admin
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7 November 2014
Last updated at 16:48 ET
#IAmPerfect was the response to an ad campaign titled The Perfect Body featuring a line-up of Victoria’s Secret models.
Three British students took issue with the campaign, resulting in the online advert being retracted, but not an apology from the lingerie giant. The ad, for a bra called Body, perpetuated low self-esteem among women who did not fit into a narrow standard of beauty, argued Leeds students Frances Black, Gabriella Kountourides and Laura Ferris. Using a Change.org petition, the women said Victoria’s Secret should take responsibility for the message it sent to women, rather than promoting “unhealthy and unrealistic standards of beauty”.
According to the campaigners, the advert failed “to celebrate the amazing diversity of women’s bodies by choosing to call only one body type ‘perfect’.” They asked for the ad’s message to be changed, and for an apology from the company. As of Friday afternoon, the petition had attracted more than 29,000 signatures. US underwear company Dear Kate responded in turn, posting their own version of The Perfect Body, showcasing a variety of body types.
Victoria Secret should have realized at least a segment of their consumer base would be offended by the ad campaign, says Jerry Wind, Wharton School Lauder Professor and Professor of Marketing. “There’s a general consensus that you should be respectful of your customers. To the extent that the audience reacted negatively shows a lack of respect to its clients.” It’s best, says Wind, to study reaction with a target audience, before release. However, “the fact that they responded is good – it shows they’re listening to the customers”.
For their part, consumers armed with social media hold a different power than in the days of writing a letter to headquarters. “Those who were concerned did the right thing,” said Wind. “They got on the social networks with the assumption the company is listening to this and react and that’s exactly what happened.” While Victoria Secret did change the online ad, the in-store ads are unaltered from the original. Victoria’s Secret did not respond to the BBC for comment.
Reported by Micah Luxen
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Halle Berry: Always Wear A Bra, Even To Bed
November 7, 2014 by admin
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Life]Halle Berry recently teamed up with Scandale Paris to re-launch a luxury line of lingerie that’s affordable for all women, and while she admits that having a French husband has changed the way she thinks about clothing, she says that one piece of advice her mom gave her has stuck with her: always support the girls.
“She said if I don’t want my boobs to hit my knees by the time I’m 30, always wear a bra, even to bed,” Berry said recently.
The 48-year old actress just launched the line of intimates–exclusively available at Target–last month and had a hand in choosing the look and feel of each piece, which range in price from $7-$18. And while she says it was important to her to keep her sex-symbol image separate from this part of her career–she doesn’t model for the brand–she does know how important it is for a woman to have lovely underthings. And now that she’s married, she says, her husband will make sure she doesn’t leave the house in anything less than finery.
“I have definitely changed as a result of being married to a French husband. French women would not put their sweats on and run out to the market….they put a lot of energy into their outerwear, but also their underwear. They’re not going to get caught in an emergency room without being prepared,” she said.
Berry is making headlines this week due to reports that she’s attempting to reduce the amount she’s required to pay in support to her ex, Gabriel Aubry, who is the father of her 6-year old daughter. Sources say the actress is looking to take the amount from $16,000 to $3,800 per month after he reportedly abused the system and used the money for his own expenses.
“She does feel that he is abusing the system and taking advantage of her. Halle does work hard for her money, and it’s not easy for her to juggle the two kids with her work schedule. It’s understandable that she feels Gabriel should be able to make enough money to support Nahla,” a source told People Magazine.
Halle Berry: Always Wear A Bra, Even To Bed
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