Sexualisation Of Schoolgirls In Advertising

[sp1814]

With Rotherham and Yewtree still in the headlines, are American Apparel simply just trying to garner a bit of free publicity?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/advertising/american-apparel-ads-banned-by-watchdog-for-sexualising-schoolgirls-9706904.html

This is obviously gratuitous - or it it? That's just my opinion.

Is there anyone who thinks that this advert is harmless?

[youngmafbog]

Yes, probably in much the same vein that Ann Summers sells nurses wear.

[kvalidir]

It's a cheap, tacky, naff brand anyway, I'm not surprised they need shock tactics to see their stuff, but I am quite glad they've been stopped, it's not a relevant picture of the clothing item, it's simply selling a stereotype.

[youngmafbog]

SP, I am in two minds over this.

1) I personally dont find it offensive and take it for what it is; an Ad.

2) I can quite easily see how many could be offended, not because of potential pedophile links (They will simply browse the Freemans catalogue or whatever is around these days) but because it really is pushing the boundary on good taste and is verging on soft porn.

[youngmafbog]

Mickey, is that what a prostitute looks like? I wouldn't know ;-)

[Sqad]

I would be interested in the result of market research done on the pupils, NOT the parents to see which brand was preferred.

The skirt that on bending forward, showed a little "knicker."
The skirt that, on bending forward, showed on the back of knee and lower thigh.

[sunny-dave]

American Apparel has quite a lot of 'previous' in this regard :

http://www.buzzfeed.com/angelamv/the-28-raciest-american-apparel-ads-ever#22w5xye

[ nb contains breasts - which may offend some people, or not ]

FWIW I think most of it is tacky, cheap and attention seeking - but then I'm probably not the target audience ...

[Retrochic]

yuongmafblog -do schoolgirls shop at Ann Summers for Nurses uniforms? I thought that was the haunt of desperate middle aged men

[jno]

American Apparel have been here before, haven't they?

http://www.handbag.com/shopping-bag/news/a415747/american-apparel-magazine-advert-banned-in-the-uk.html

http://www.mediastreet.ie/blog/2013/01/28/american-apparel-ads-sexualize-child-models-rules-britains-asa/

[kvalidir]

Exactly sqad, this is aimed at selling it to the girls themselves. Personally I like to see the garment I'm buying but plenty of girls just want to give a 'sexy' impression and will buy on that basis. It doesn't necessarily mean they are being exploited, sometimes they are the exploiters, but it is why something like this is used. Couple that with the fact that it's now been banned and it's suddenly edgy and daring too- when in reality it's a dull little skirt that hasn't got much going for it. Just clever spin. For stupid people.

[ludwig]

I think it's horrible, and quite cynical. They've achieved their objective though. Loads of people who'd previously never heard of the brand (me included) now have.

[naomi24]

^^ Ditto.

[youngmafbog]

Retro, yes they do. Found one of my daughters had bought a "nurses uniform" to wear out on a Saturday night in town.

[youngmafbog]

//Just clever spin. For stupid people//

Heavily aided and abetted by those who go on about it.

If it wasn't banned, if righteous people didnt bang on about it then the advert would be wasted.

[jno]

this is I imagine the original

http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/8558ab2fe05ab4c6bf2159d08fb25683/200546001/american-apparel.jpg

as porn: very soft. A an ad for a schoolwear range: ugh

[sp1814]

Perhaps the point is what others have said.

Some firms use advertising, not as a way of actually telling the buying public, "Look...this is what we sell, and this is how much it costs", but as a way of generating web traffic and discussion which leads to their brand name getting into our subconscious.

The quality of the product is irrelevant...we just need to be talking about it (let's call it 'The Miley Cyrus Effect').

And I acknowledge that I've fallen into the trap by posting the question here.!

[sunny-dave]

Naughty step SP ... and don't bring those mucky mags with you this time :)

[youngmafbog]

Sorry SP, I wasn't having a dig at you - I have posted a fair bit on it too so guilty step for me too!

[sandyRoe]

Wasn't it Benetton which used shocking images to promote their clothes? The Last Supper, an AIDS patient, stuff like that. There's nothing new under the sun.

[sp1814]

sandyRoe

Yes...I clearly remember thinking, "What has this got to do with knitwear?" back in the early nineties when Benetton ran those campaigns.

It also works (or rather doesn't work) the other ways around - brilliant adverts that completely fail to do the job at hand.

Many people remember this amazing advert (see YouTube link), but far fewer remember what car manufacturer was behind it.
Media URL: http://youtu.be/NsDEgxmH8wI
Description:

[sp1814]

Just trying the YouTube link again... Media URL: http://youtu.be/NsDEgxmH8wI
Description: