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!
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?
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.
Squeamish Kate – who Ann Summers could make feel more real if they told her where to get Katy K’s bejewelled hat.
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