Company using female PhDs as models in its latest ad campaign - your thoughts? - YouLookFab Forum

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Company using female PhDs as models in its latest ad campaign - your thoughts?

Diana

Veteran

I am not sure what I think of this yet. On the one hand, it's cool that these models are really relevant to my actual life. On the other hand, there's a part of me that thinks, "why should it even matter?" If I was applying for an academic job, I wouldn't put my job experience as a model or a barista or whatever on my resume, so why would I put "PhD" on my resume if I was looking for a modeling job? It's not relevant to the job AT ALL.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessic.....lar-models

http://www.styleite.com/news/c.....as-models/

General

31 replies

Latest reply was from krishnidoux

Makrame

Veteran

I guess it is kind of fun to know what the "models" actually do - just like it can be interesting to look at style bloggers and read their bio or find out some details about Angie's clients she has profiled on this forum.

The ad also reminds me of the "this is what a scientist looks like"-type posts. There is actually a tumbler site dedicated to this now. http://lookslikescience.tumblr.com/

deb

Veteran

I like it because it shows the models (and theater folks for that mater) actually have other aspirations and lives.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I think people are wanting more and more to see "real people" as models, instead of just models. Seeing clothing on someone you can relate to likely makes it easier to imagine yourself wearing the item. So for that reason, I think it's good.

Diana

Veteran

I think one reason this leaves me feeling a little cold is that from what I see of the clothes, they are not my style at all. And this is supposed to be an ad campaign that appeals to my exact demographic - young, female, highly educated, in academia. So to me it feels a little bit like perpetuating stereotypes about how PhDs/academics dress. Is it bad that I am also wondering how many of these women actually wear specs daily IRL, or whether those were added as part of the styling?

I dunno, maybe i am too cynical.

rachylou

Veteran

I don't really get it. Am I supposed to think the brand "respects smart women"? I sort of feel like someone needs to get a real job...

Dee

Veteran

Diana, I see where you're coming from re: stereotypes. It's not my style either. But I liked that it portrays the idea that you can have an interest in fashion/style as an academic, which is something I feel has often been overlooked.

Diana

Veteran

That's a good point, Dee!

Mann

I hadn't seen this before, thank you, Diana! (I'm mid thirties, female, PhD) Isn't there a catalogue - either Title9 or Athleta, that also appears to show "real life" women as models and has a blurb about each of them next to the photos? They're all supermoms and yoga teachers and best surfers and climbers and... ? This seems to be a little bit similar of an effort, perhaps. I would assume the point of these campaigns is not to necessarily market to the audience you draw your models from, just like in professional model world (first of all, honestly, how many young-ish female PhDs you really have with disposable income interested in clothes?), but to give the customers something "aspirational". Like the yoga-teaching wind-surfing supermoms - it's not like that's the audience for the catalog, it's clumsy people like me, piled under everyday commitments, that want to aspire to an ounce of the freedom and grace that the model in the catalog seems to be having.
Plus I suppose if you just catch people thinking for a second upon seeing your marketing campaign, that huh, that's interesting, and click on a link (which I just did!) you already probably reached your goal - regardless of whether the images you serve actually have anything to do with the product.

Gigi

Veteran

I haven't looked over the stuff in detail, but my first reaction was that I liked it. I think it's because it shows that people who are "normal" and are not full-time models can be pretty too. I also laughed to myself that this is a good thing for those women, since they will get a little income while they are penniless and pursuing their degree!

But I can see what you mean about the stereotyping. I feel like the message is that the "sexiness" of these women can only go so far--they're not going to be really sexy like a nonacademic woman. They're still going to be a bit bookish and frumpy. So the marketer is still acting like a marketer, using people to make money.

Diana

Veteran

Hmm, interesting. Several of you have mentioned that people seem to like to know that the models have a "backstory" or portray some sort of aspirational ideal. I guess I may just be a little different than normal people then. I do NOT want my clothes to come with their own narrative! I want my clothes to be blank canvasses that I can write my own story on. I guess that is the Artistic Eclectic talking.

Of course I do like to see clothing on models that have my shape or coloring, because it helps me more easily determine whether the item will fit me. But I don't really need to know that the model has a PhD in chemistry, and likes windsurfing, and has a cat named Jim, you know?

Joyce B

Veteran

Maybe they can use the extra income, that is if they can find the time and the gig to model. What I saw looks pretty formal so it's OK by me.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I think it's Title 9 that always has little blurbs about what their models do - it's usually something outdoorsy since they sell sports clothes, so I see the connection. Boden always has little q&as with their models although it's usually little funny questions, not work related. I used to get a sewing pattern magazine (Ottobre, from Finland) that used non-professional models and they always told the person's name, how old they were, and what size they wore. Since the whole point of those patterns was that they were aimed at a variety of sizes and ages, not just skinny young things, it was a nice touch.

Betabrand has always had a quirky, nontraditional, very San Francisco approach so this seems like the kind of thing they would do. It's a little twee, honestly, but better that, IMO, than a bunch of 16 yo supermodels modeling stuff aimed at middle aged moms.

DonnaF

Veteran

This gimmick obviously got the company a lot of buzz. Reminds me a bit of when Gap did a Real People campaign with black and white photos on bus shelters a few decades ago which included a gal with whom I went to college. She was very pretty in an exotic way but did not have a model's body.

FWIW, I prefer this to prepubescent teenage models. I did expect to see literature and philosophy Ph.Ds, however, as their job prospects aren't as bright as those in STEM fields.

Gaylene

Veteran

I'm also conflicted for all the reasons stated above. On one hand, it's nice to think of "normal" people being featured (although I wonder at calling tall, skinny, young females with PhDs "normal people" and I don't think using professional models is necessarily a bad thing). But I have trouble with the message that the brand is somehow better because a "brainy" person might wear it. Or is the message that even a brainy woman can look good if she wears these clothes? Can't quite figure it out, but, as Mann says, maybe the fact that I'm trying to figure it out means that the ad has achieved its objective.

K. Period.

Veteran

I actually like it. A lot. I think it is because I like the message that smarts come in all kinds of packages. And that beauty and smarts are not mutually exclusive. I think the more we remind media-consumers that the models in the ads they see are people with real lives and interests, the better too. Does the ad exploit the beauty/smarts bit to get people like us talking about it? Yup. But is that a bad thing? I certainly like it a lot better than ads that capture my mind space by showing me something offensive (sexist ads that are insulting to both men and women; hungry looking skinny women; child-women in sexy clothes).

Gigi

Veteran

Diana, you raise an interesting point when you say you don't want your clothes to come with their own narrative. In a way, using professional models really does give the clothes a generic background; it's easy to try to imagine yourself wearing them, because the model is just a pretty woman with no "story." But when the clothing is seen on real people with real lives, it might seem a bit weird to think of yourself in that person's clothing--it's like you're trying to be that person or something. Maybe a bit like you're setting your own personality aside to take on someone else's?

April

Veteran

Wait, Diana -- are you saying you don't have to have a completed Ph.D. to be a model?

Dammit, if only I had known...

Isabel

Veteran

Laura, those are great points. I actually love the little backstories for Boden and Title 9.

Diana, I am a little befuddled with this. The clothes are not particularly stylish ( as you say ) and all it really says about the women is that they either are Ph.Ds or are working on it. There really is nothing all that personal about them. It is almost as if the fact that they have/are working on doctorates somehow is enough to warrant a modeling gig. I think that it is great that they are doing it...but what is the point ? Smart women wear khakis in the lab ? I would have preferred, smart women are smart and that is ONE part of who they are...not the totality.

Greyscale

Veteran

So funny to see this here! Their store is a few blocks from me and one of their weekly emails asked for anyone with a PhD who wanted to model. It was just a totally casual, off the cuff thing. I almost sent in my photos, but I decided I was too old for their demographic. But when their ads came out I wished I'd done it after all. But really, they're a tiny, local, extremely silly company who knows their audience (San Francisco tech workers) very well.

Runcarla

Veteran

I like this too, just as I like it when a fashion house features plus size models, or over 40 models (grey or white haired), or women of colour. Sure, they are all trying to sell something, but anything that promotes diversity is appealing to me and will get me to look twice.

I have a harder time with teens in designer duds. It is not aspirational to me, and I find it hard to envisage a teen with the money for designer clothes and a jet set lifestyle.

Currently I'm liking the Candace Bergen look-alike in the Tommy Hilfiger adverts, and the Jones of New York shots with Carolyn Murphy (38.). Also, when in the UK this past September, M&S had a really appealing campaign featuring notable women in M&S fashion. Models and actresses, but also philanthropists, nurses, educators, artists, heroes, etc.

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adorkable

Veteran

For some reason - although I am nowhere near the store - I got the email asking for models ... and couldn't decide if I thought it was awesome or found it sort of offensive.

I didn't apply (although I do fit their crtiera), but I did send it to several friends - I think I would like it more if their Ph.D. models were a little more diverse, as many others have said.

Diana

Veteran

Greyscale, I'm so glad you chimed in! Knowing more about the company actually makes this make a lot more sense to me, as one thing I couldn't really figure out was who the target demographic even WAS. As I mentioned above, I don't think I am, nor are many of the PhD women I know.

Gigi, I think the epitome of the "clothing as narrative" genre is of course the J. Peterman catalog. Which I love to read for fun but I would never order from... It's interesting though that most J. Peterman items aren't even shown on models. Maybe the theory there is that you are supposed to picture YOURSELF in the narrative.

And those of you who have mentioned that the ad has achieved its goals are of course right! Here we are all thinking about this brand most of us had never heard about before today now! And I agree, it's definitely better than many of the other exploitative ads around right now.

Makrame

Veteran

Diana, I nearly posted earlier about the J. Peterman catalog but then got distracted by something in the lab. That was a great example of "clothing with a backstory". And yet, I have never bought anything from it either.

JAileen

Veteran

I don't see what the problem is. It's a gimmick. Patagonia catalogs show real people using their stuff in real situations. We got a catalog in the mail today. There's one picture of a guy my husband and I thought was 80 but who actually turns out to be 91.

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catgirl

Veteran

I think it's great because I can relate to these women. And that makes me relate to the clothes and the possibility that they might work for me.

rae

(website)

Veteran

I hear you on the blank canvas, Diana. DH hates Macs because of all those commercials Apple used to have portraying Mac users as rockin' hipsters.

I had come across Betabrand before... the phD thing feels really gimmicky to me. Your education has nothing to do with your non-modelesque body type. I'm sure all the really tall, slim, gawky phDs were rejected as being too model-y. I believe Modcloth also scouts atypical models without having to bring a day job into the mix.

Plus, I do think that models work hard to become good at what they do and shouldn't be ousted out of their professions because they chose to follow their own particular dreams that weren't academically oriented. I would be pretty upset if all of a sudden I had to feel like less of a stylist because I wasn't also an engineer...?

elpgal

Veteran

I am not seeing the appeal of these clothes. Are they particularly well made? They look frumpy to me. Good gimmick but I don't see my peer group going for these clothes.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Mixed feelings as usual with conscious attempts to promote body diversity. There is so much pressure on women to be everything. On the other hand, I do find the ad appealing and if I lived near the store would probably stop in. On my third hand, isn't it just trying to draw academic women into the consumerist fashion market. But is that wrong? I could go on...

fuzzylogic

Veteran

Based on the discussion here this has been a PR success story! Every business has to have an angle!

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