Mui Mui's new campaign

Hailee Steinfeld and Mui Mui alike have sparked criticism for her use in these new campaigns in relation to the fact she is just 14 years old. They have been accused of using models so young, that the women who can afford to buy designer clothing cannot relate to them. And even though it is clear that she has not been dressed up to look like an adust, as so often happens with teenage models, it is hard to see that the 14 year old will convincingly sell designer clothes to grown women. After a leading role in True Grit, red carpet appearances led to Mui Mui becoming the teenagers favourite designer and has been seen wearing the label on a number of occassions.



Does age of the model really matter to such a well known high fashion brand? Or will the extra publicity be more beneficial and simply a good PR stunt?

Advertising Media

When choosing advertising media, many companies subscribe to national surveys such as the Target Group Index, which is an important source of information about consumer consumption patterns – the types of product they buy and use, what TV they watch, which newspapers they read and which radio stations they listen to. Using this kind of survey enables a marketing organisation to match a products target market group with the media it uses most.

Press – 60%

J provides detailed product information, can use reply coupons for direct response

L need to be timed to match a marketing campaign, not always read by consumers

Television – 33%

J large audiences, but spread over different channels and can show products being used

L limited by short time span of commercials and viewers may not be the target market

Posters – 4%

J cheap form of advertising, widely available

L low impact form of advertising, seen as complicated to buy, liable to damage and defacement

Radio – 3%

J can accurately target geographical areas

L low audience numbers compared to other media

target market index website!

Advertising Standards Authority

ASA – advertising standards authority

In the uk, the ASA regulates all media advertising in non broadcast media, such as newspapers or magazines. There is a code of practise where adverts must be

-         Legal, decent, honest and truthful

-         Show responsibility to the consumer and to society

-         Follow business principles to fair competition

Example of a banned advert:

source: Daily Mail

A TV commercial featuring Georgia May Jagger gave the impression a Rimmel mascara had miraculous results in creating longer, thicker eye-lashes.

However, the images failed to make clear that the effect was enhanced with artificial lashes.Today, the Advertising Standards Authority(ASA) has banned the maker of Rimmel London's '1-2-3 Looks Mascara' from running the commercial again.

Separate magazine advertisements using the same techniques have also been banned for failing to give clear information that the improvement was achieved with false eyelashes.

The advertisements and commercial showed Georgia May Jagger, the daughter of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall, in profile.  The text and voiceover gave the impression that turning a dial on the mascara would provide thicker, longer lashes on a scale of one to three.

In fact, the longer, fuller eyelashes seen in each image were actually created using artificial inserts.



Advertising

The aim of all advertising through any type of media communication is to influence potential customers to buy products.

For product manufactures the cost of advertising is a major but necessary expensive in the competitive world. Two different approaches.

Hard sell

Simple and direct message about the products unique features and advantages over competitors products – their USP. The hard sell approach is used to advertise functional products, for example rucksacks, tents or climbing ropes often have features that make the product superior to other similar products on the market. Most textile product advertising however includes references to the look of the product whether overtly or indirectly since this can often differentiate one product from another.

Soft sell

Most advertising related to textile products associated with a softer approach, with which consumers can identify. Soft sell advertising promotes image and style and is often associated with brand advertising. This focuses on creating a positive product image combined with the benefits it can bring to consumers. The aim is to promote brand loyalty.

Soft sell works best with expensive high status products such as designer clothing or luxury interiors product. However, basic items such as men’s boxers can also be given a glamorous image.



Benneton

Controversial advertising

Bennetton, an Italian company has used controversial advertising in the form of shocking images to sell their clothes. These include images such as an unwashed babies first moments afters its birth, a priest kissing a nun or a dying aids victim. They claim that these highlight social moral or ethinic issues. This claim was substantiated in 1993 which collected surplus clothes to be donated to Africa, Asia, and Yugoslavia.