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Think you're real? Ann Summers will be the judge

17/11/2011

6 Comments

 
Picture
A real woman checks out the window
I believe Dove started it, with the real women ad campaigns. It was, perhaps, a natural progression from L’Oreal’s popular ‘You’re worth it’ slogan. Beauty adverts that say; this is attainable and this is for you. L’Oreal updated their adverts to a Coalition style ‘We’re worth it’ recently and Ann Summers leapt onto the real woman in campaigns bandwagon.

Because, you know, we’re all in this together.

Only, as with the government’s catchphrases, this Ann Summers campaign seems a misguided one.

When I spoke about writing this subject I kept referring to it as ‘the Ann Summers real women competition’. Of course if you identify as a woman then hey! I suppose we’re all Ann Summers competition winners!  Sexy high five!

Looking at the photo of these beautiful real women, the message I get is not, “look! Real women wearing pants, just like me!” but “all women are real, but some are more real than others. These are the real ones”.

Perhaps Ann Summers really was just limited by the small range of women who applied. If that is the case I am saddened women of colour, bigger women and older women didn’t think they could enter a contest for real women.

But wait, looking at the video in which the judging process is filmed, they did enter! And they look fantastic, every single one. We don’t seem to be privy to the judging criteria, but it seems to be this; 1) Do they have a back story that can possibly stretch to vaguely harrowing? 2) Are they slim? (allow for 1 token plus size) 3) Are they conventionally pretty? 

Watching this ad doesn’t make me feel included, it makes me feel patronised that ad execs think women won’t notice this ‘real women’ trend is just doublespeak for ‘what’s acceptable’. In fact the only thing to cheer me up watching this ad is the thought of these women signing cheques, contracts and formal letters with the hearts and kisses strewn signatures they appear to have.

Squeamish Kate – who Ann Summers could make feel more real if they told her where to get Katy K’s bejewelled hat. 
6 Comments
Gareth
20/11/2011 08:56:42 pm

I had exactly the same thought when I saw this contest.

It appears to be real you have to be young, white and thin.

I really must have an overactive imagination because I see dozens of women who don't exist every single day. And lots of them look far prettier than anyone in this contest.

Still it is Ann Summers - an uninspiring, middle-of-the-road, limited line-up is a pretty good match for them.

Reply
Squeamish Kate
20/11/2011 11:52:22 pm

Yeah, it's just another opportunity to give exposure to other types of beauty thrown away in my opinion.

Also Ann Summers seems to be unable to decide if it wants to continue as Ann Summers or become Knickerbox.

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franzi link
20/2/2012 05:36:43 am

To an extent, I agree, that "real women" means "women who are pretty but less polished and stick thin than models". I think that with any modelling competition there's something a thinking feminist will find a bit disconcerting. These people are being judged on their appearance, after all, which is generally frowned upon but those of us with brains. It is interesting though that the "token plus size" contestant actually won. I think that shows us that many who voted felt the same way we do, or at least felt that the other skinny girls weren't someone they could relate to. It reminded me of the whole Nancy Upton thing - what did you think of that?

Reply
Squeamish Kate link
20/2/2012 06:06:00 am

I loved the Nancy Upton American Apparel photos! Thanks for reminding me.
I saw recently the woman who was plus size (whatever that means- especially considering the huge difference between the same dress sizes on the high street) won, I think the general public are more ready for a change than those who manage the images shown give us credit for.

Reply
Tiffany and Co Outlet link
3/6/2012 11:06:55 am

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Polo Outlet link
3/6/2012 11:08:01 am

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