What do you think.....

[Terps]

One of the magazines I read just announced that they are doing their model search again - only women who are 40+ are eligible, and the top winners get modeling contracts with Wilhemina. I'm not in my 40s, but I still think this is very forward thinking these days, when the majority of models who grace the pages of most magazines are in their teens. What do you think? Do model searches like this, and other "real women" ad campaigns, such as Dove, make a difference in presenting realistic and healthy images of women in the media?

 

[usagent]

One of the magazines I read just announced that they are doing their model search again - only women who are 40+ are eligible, and the top winners get modeling contracts with Wilhemina. I'm not in my 40s, but I still think this is very forward thinking these days, when the majority of models who grace the pages of most magazines are in their teens. What do you think? Do model searches like this, and other "real women" ad campaigns, such as Dove, make a difference in presenting realistic and healthy images of women in the media?

As long as their not fat it's cool. Or ugly. Fugly.

 

[Terps]

The whole point of the model search I think is more about age- I'm sure they'll pick beautiful women- it is a model search after all. I didn't think the women in the Dove ads were fat or ugly. But they also weren't models, you know? Did you think they were "fugly"?

 

[vraiblonde]

They probably want 40 year olds to do campaigns aimed at beauty products for senior citizens. Much like they take a size 12 woman and present her as a plus-size.

 

[Terps]

I don't know if that's true- I've seen older women in Banana Republic and Gap ads. I remember reading about the winners last year, but I'm not sure what kind of work they ended up getting after they won....maybe they'll do a recap in the magazine.

You're right though- they do totally do that with "plus size" models- it's completely ridiculous. I don't really see that changing anytime soon unfortunately.