Is it me or... (possibly NSFW... probably not though)

[TinkerBell]

Originally Posted by Desmo

Sorry to say that that is where you are wrong. Make people feel **** about themselves but then sell them a wonder product that makes them feel good about themselves. It is the way to sell things.

That may work on some people. But that does not work on me, I wouldn't look at that poster and think yeah that makes me want to go and buy loads of stuff to make me feel better. Just my opinion

[Wossi]

She needs a few steak dinners inside of her really.

[Desmo]

Originally Posted by TinkerBell

That may work on some people. But that does not work on me

I think the problem is that it works on the majority....so unfortunately everybody else is lumbered with it too.

It's not just women though, it's society in general. We're made to feel lesser if we don't have the latest car, motorbike, flat screen TV, hifi, games console, yadda yadda yadda. It's the way marketing works these days and we're all stuc with it.

But I would say women get the worst deal overall.

[Pheebs]

tbh I think it's about time Ann Summers threw in some larger models into their catalogue. In general - the vast majority of my customers are not widgy widgy sizes and pretty much every party I hold at least one person makes comments similar to:

"Ha! Like I'm going to fit or look good in any of these items"

The vast majority of my time I spend plugging items which do look good on the larger lady. They all want items that will look sexy - not silly and string-esque on them. Items I point out are the ones which "hold everything together - and comfortably", "shove the boobie up" "Hide the lumps and bumps buuut reveals the belly button for some sexiness", "slim up your legs" etc...

I wouldn't get half the sales I do if I didn't plug those points... and sometimes it's really hard to find ladies anything they would be comfortable in. A couple have laughed and joked about it but in their eyes you see them just wanting to feel better about themselves - some have even admitted buying things in the past to feel like they fit in to the parties and never wearing it. I really hate that. So I make a point of ensuring everyone is super happy with their items.

But. They would be so much happier - I am 100% convinced - if there were larger models in the brochure. I am certain.

[Davey_Pitch]

Originally Posted by Desmo

But I would say women get the worst deal overall.

I would agree. Men very rarely get hammered for the way they look (their bodies at least), certainly not to the extent women do. It's just a shame women listen to it all so much. Curvy women are super sexy in my eyes. Hell, I love looking through the Bravissimo catalouge Lynnie gets, the women in there are stunning

[Wryel]

Originally Posted by Davey_Pitch

I would agree. Men very rarely get hammered for the way they look (their bodies at least), certainly not to the extent women do. It's just a shame women listen to it all so much. Curvy women are super sexy in my eyes. Hell, I love looking through the Bravissimo catalouge Lynnie gets, the women in there are stunning

Yeah, I bet it happens to just 'fall open' on page 164.....

[semi-pro waster]

This might run counter to the majority but I think she is an attractive girl. However it is a slightly unfortunate pose leaning back but thrusting her chest forwards and that makes her look more angular than she otherwise would.

The really terrible thing is that the model probably gets hassle for her body as well, it isn't just those with a larger frame who get stick for the way they look. I get people commenting on my height or the fact that I'm slim, 99.9% of the time it doesn't bother me in the least but every so often I just end up thinking "who are you to be making a disparaging comment on my body, I've not insulted you - yet".

[lostkat]

Originally Posted by Davey_Pitch

Hell, I love looking through the Bravissimo catalouge Lynnie gets, the women in there are stunning

Hehe, so does Leon!

[goldilocks]

Originally Posted by Pheebs

... should Ann Summers just have not used this as their main promotional picture?!?!?
I know they use raunchy piccies and fit birds and things... but this picture is *awful* IMO. The girl, I am sure, is very pretty but why on EARTH they have used this ribby angle I just don't know!!

I might be being slightly over sensitive on this but the other girls that are in my catalogues *at least* are curvaceous and don't have angular rib poses like this!

This is their main key promotional poster. How poo will this make people feel?!?!

Pheebs, are you in the right job?!
I'm sure you've seen the tiny models in the windows of the shops, you know they sell down to 28" bra sizes, they don't stock every product in 'large' - if a rather slim, but non-the-less attractive woman is going to offend you / your customers, will you struggle to sell what they are advertising?

i don't see how advertising is like this is in any way offensive, and i don't see why it would make people feel like 'poo'.
if you aren't built like an underwear model (and lets face it, there aren't that many who are) does that mean you won't buy underwear if you've only seen it advertised on slim woman?
advertisements for leg wax / rasers / deodorant all use slim / attractive women - and that doesn't stop most of the adult female population still buying wax / razers / deo.

as has been mentioned above - advertising won't improve a low self image perception - if you feel fat / wobbly / bloated - why will seeing larger women modeling underwear make you feel any better about that?
i think the issue with things like this has to be confidence. imo it doesn't matter what you look like / what size you are as long as you are happy in your own skin.
we know most of the female population aren't size 6/8 and 6 feet tall - but that doesn't stop the fact that they *do* make better clothes horses for showing off such items.

/controversy

[goldilocks]

Originally Posted by Kitten

Goldilocks - are you reading the right posts?
I can see nowhere that Pheebs said that she or her customers were offended by the model.

then why make a post like this on how *awful* the front of the catalogue is?

I have no idea what size you are, but from your post I imagine you're a fairly slim size (believe me, it's just an attitude thing) - so how do you expect to be able to see that this kind of advertising can make a larger woman feel 'poo'?

in the same way that *i* can see this advert and think, 'well, i don't look like that, my boobs aren't that big, and if i were to wear that underwear it probably won't make me look any different to the way i look in the mirror every day - but it is pretty, and it is nicer than old scruffy back of the draw undies that i own now - maybe i should read this catalogue and see if there is anything more appropriate'

So lets say a larger lady looks in the Ann Summers catalogue and wants to buy a nice sexy outfit to wear with her partner. Seeing photographs of women looking like the one above will just make her thing 'that will look crap on me, that will look crap on me, that will look crap on me'. You can't put it all down to low self esteem and image perception, if you're a size 22 the chances are it WILL Look crap on you, that's nothing to do with your own image, it's a fact.

So, by putting something on the front of the magazine that might have a chance of looking good on both skinny and larger ladies - i.e. a pretty negligie which pushes up and out and covers bits you don't want to see, then it will appeal to more women of different sizes, won't completely alienate the ones that will look rubbish in what is on the front.

is that what advertising is about? there was me thinking that it was about showing off your products to their full advantage.
i agree that showing a more covering and discreet item on the cover may appeal to more customers - but since when have discreet / anne summers gone hand in hand?

THAT is the point that Pheebs is making - that it WONT sell undies to the majority of her customers - not that it's offensive - and it's funny that most of the women who have responded in agreement to her are ones who are on the larger side, and it suggests to me that she knows exactly what she's talking about.

if they are not upset / offended by this - then why are they not buying?
if it is purely that they won't fit in them - or look good in them - that is not the catalogues fault... and i doubt that any sort of advertising would improve pheebs' sales. what you are talking about now - is product range and availability - not the way it is advertised.