OMG! Am I the only offended by this ad? or Am I overreacting?
I’m really tired of fashion ads blurring the lines as to what is sexual violence and pornography in advertising photography. (Interesting factoid- back in college I learned that some of the most popular fashion photographers started out as porn photographers…hhmm)
1. Most of the images that sell stuff to women have them lying on their backs.
2. Looking emaciated, with a gaze on nothing in sight
3. Women are depicted as defenseless and overly sexualized
My street instincts tells me that anywhere else this would be seen as a gang bang, battery, train or whatever other term its called in your neck of the woods. But then again, my knowledge of fashion and advertising, is saying, “this is nothing new” – but does it make it right, if a 13 yea old girl flipping through her mom’s Vogue sees this what will she think?
1. its ok to be the center of attraction if you don’t resist
2. be sexually passive
3. being surrounded by numerous men in a compromising situation is ok
Can you see where this could lead a teen girl to think that these things are ok, if she’s constantly bombarded by these images?
Many designers and fashion brands have used over sexualized violent images of women to sell many products( or get the medias attention, which has worked here)
You know the old adage still holds true, “sex sells” …amm have you seen the marketing for Abercrombie and Fitch, and have you seen the clothes? I can’t see how wearing those ugly wrinkled basic tees would make a man look like a hunk. But simply put, the mind believes what the eye perceives. Its one thing I learned while studying advertising in grad school and working in publishing, “whatever causes a stir will sell”.
Case in point lets take a look at the most recent copy of Elle Magazine I have, are these images ok, or are they just as suggestive?:
CESARE PACIOTTI 
DSQUARED
