From today's Are they Kidding? file: An ad from WWD trumpeting W's April shopping issue, in which it is declared that "money is no object." Really? Even in the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression, with designers and other fashion businesses declaring bankruptcy left and right? We know the magazine has to appeal to advertisers and all, but this is taking the rose-tinted glasses thing a bit too far.
Ummm, could somebody please explain this to me? Seriously, who at Diesel thought this was a good idea? I mean, this guy's cute, but he is in desperate need of some manscaping.
Image courtesy Diesel/WWD
We almost spit out our tea when we came across this badvertorial in a magazine that shall remain nameless. Seriously?! Who thought it was a good idea to position Cottonelle toilet paper as a red carpet glamour must-have? Our favorite line: "Peruse our Hollywood beauty and fashion tips and learn how Cottonelle brand's extra gentle formula can help you achieve ready-for-your-close-up confidence."
Errr...what part of your body is the paparazzi going to be shooting, exactly? Yikes. Can you say retarded tingles, boys and girls?
So there we were thumbing through the July issue of SELF magazine (you know, the one that's allegedly all about promoting women's health and good body image, blah blah blah) when we were stopped dead in our thumbtracks by an ad for something called Natrelle.
A coy Angelina Jolie-meets-Kristin Chenoweth lookalike is posed topless, arms crossed over her breasts, beneath a tagline that reads: "You know that feeling when you find the perfect fit. And we're not talking jeans."
Hmmm, an ad for bras, we think. Or maybe swimsuits. But no. A quick glance at the right hand page informs us that they're not talking about underwear or bikinis, but are hawking "The Natrelle Breast Enhancement Collection." Collection?! Why yes, because there's the Silicone or Saline version from which to choose, so you can "Fnd the Fit That's Right for You."
Now, aside from the fact that two don't make a collection but, rather, a pair (oh, the irony), and the fact that Silicone implants were removed from the market for a very long time because of their dangerous - and in some, cases, life-threatening - health complications, there is something deeply unsettling about this ad on many levels.
Not the least of which is, isn’t SELF supposed to be a publication that champions self-acceptance, cup sized be damned? (Not that we oppose a woman getting a boob job if it makes her feel better about herself, it just seems so opposite SELF’s usual message.) And secondly, doesn’t Natrelle imply, well, natural? As in, here are my natural breasts that aren’t filled with man-made foreign materials? Just sayin’...
