Arby’s Has Pepsi

“It’s funny. It’s self-deprecating. Better than that, it’s honest.”

After finalizing all of their advertising in October, the popular fast food chain Arby’s realized they made huge mistake. They forgot to include Pepsi in at least two commercials (this is a term in their agreement with the company). So the company teamed up with Fallon, an Ad agency based out of Minneapolis, to create a commercial solely about Pepsi to make up for their blunder. The commercial is simply a glass filled with fizzing Pepsi. In a voice over by Ving Rhames, he say “Arby’s messed up and forgot about the second commercial. So here it is. Pepsi, cool, refreshing, and goes great with Arby’s sandwiches and other Arby’s foods. Arby’s: We have Pepsi.”

This spot will stopped running on December 13. Although the commercial is only airing in Los Angeles, New York, and Minneapolis, it already has over one million views on YouTube. I think the ads honesty is what draws people to it.

Matt Heath, the creative director at Fallon, calls this “brand authenticity.” Simply, this means the company tells it to you straight in the ad and does not lie or sugar coat it. Other examples include Old Spice, Starbucks (people don’t like dark roast, so they made blonde roast), and Nike.

“We don’t think consumers need to be talked down to,” says Heath. “Too often in advertising, brands feel like it’s necessary to hold the hand of the consumer through the messaging. But consumers are smart, intelligent, and savvy. So we have a very straightforward message.”

This commercial helps give a better image of advertisers and ads in general. The profession has a bad reputation for lying and  being deceitful and manipulative, this ad is admitting its fault and coming clean about it. This ad shies away from story telling and just tells the real deal.

So what does everyone think about this new ad? I think it is kind of refreshing to watch this honest ad. I really do not understand how the Arby’s marketing and advertising team could have forgotten such a huge part of their advertising, but it happened. I think what they did helped to make up for it. Pepsi obviously was okay with it too. This ad technique doesn’t work for every company, but Arby’s made it work for them.

Sources:

Suddath, C. (2014, December 5). Arby’s Made a Commercial for Pepsi, and It’s Great. Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-12-05/arbys-best-commercial-yet-is-actually-for-pepsi

Couture Fashion Week Joins the Digital Age

New York City is getting ready for Couture Fashion Week. Coming up February 12-15, the event will take place in Times Square and Broadway area. “The billboard is on the exterior of the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan, 1605 Broadway.” These ads will show parts of the fashion shows and also products and services to buy. About 200 companies will be able to display their ads here.

Couture Fashion week founder and producer Andres Aquino said about the billboard, “It makes perfect sense to have our billboard in Times Square. Fashion, entertainment and business reach an average of 330,000 tourists and passersby daily. New York is both the fashion capital and theater capital of the world. We are excited about this concept which we started last season, and are expanding into more days for February 2015.”

There are four different ad options available:

“8 second ad shown 48 times per day (once every 30 minutes): $2,000
16 second ad shown 48 times per day (once every 30 minutes): $4,000
8 second ad shown 96 times per day (once every 15 minutes): $4,000
16 second ad shown 96 times per day (once every 15 minutes): $8,000”

The fashion show started in 2005 and features designers from around the world. Performers at the show include pop signer Brielle and different Broadway actors. Tickets are non-refundable and can range from $50 to $2,000.

I think this Billboard is a great way to get word out about this event. Hundreds of thousands of people walk through Times Square every day. New York City is full of fashionistas, and if I saw an advertisement for a fashion show while walking through the city I would definitely look into it. It is a very smart move to move to digital advertising like this since the world of advertising is continuing to advance further and further. Although this ad technique started last year, they are expanding on it and making it more known this year.

Do you guys think this is a good way to advertise? Should companies spend the money to have their products and services splashed all over Times Square? I think it is a no brainer. Companies would get so much exposure in a big city like New York and in such a populated area like Times Square.

Sources:

BWW News Desk. (2014, December 14). 2015 Couture Fashion Week New York Offers Times Square Ads. Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/2015-Couture-Fashion-Week-New-York-Offers-Times-Square-Ads-20141214

Couture Fashion Week: New York City Fashion Shows – Couture Fashion Week. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://www.couturefashionweek.com

TIMES SQUARE BILLBOARD. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://www.couturefashionweek.com/times-square-billboard

YouTube Rewinds 2014

On December 10, YouTube, the popular video sharing site, released its annual “Rewind” video in which the company highlights the years viral videos in one video. The video, created by Portal A, features many hit songs from the year including “Fancy” by Iggy, Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass,” Nikki Minaj’s “Anaconda,” and the hit “Let It Go” from the movie Frozen. The music was made by DJ Earworm, who also does a mashup every year of top songs released. One big section of the video highlights the Ice Bucket Challenge. Videos of people dumping a bucket full of cold water to raise awareness for ALS were huge this year. The video was clever because they had many famous YouTube stars dump water buckets on each other’s heads. Some of these people include Epic Rap Battles of History and Smosh. Conan O’Brien, Steven Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and even Big Bird made an appearance. Some recognizable YouTube stars include Jenna Marbles, Tyler Oakley, and Bethany Mato. At the end of the video, there are there are links to all the performers home pages.

The video uses the hashtags #YouTubeRewind to promote this video. This has helped spread the video ever further. Basically, “it’s a giant ad for YouTube—the site wants to remind you it’s where pop culture lives now, big or small, definitely remixed.” Click here to see other videos from years past. Throughout the video is the “rewind” sign. It can be seen on a flying flag, on an ice bucket, and written on the screen with lipstick during the song “Selfie” by Chainsmokers. These “Rewind” videos started in 2010.

I had never heard of these videos until this year. I think it is a very smart move by YouTube because it draws a lot of people to the site.  I am not that into YouTube, but I do recognize some familiar faces. The video reminds you of what YouTube is there for; “be ready to (re)discover what the site is really about—being a total time suck.” I even found myself clicking on some of the links at the end of the video to watch some videos made by people I did not recognize. So what do you think? Is the video as entertaining as I thought it was?

Sources:

Beltrone, G. (2014, December 10). Ad of the Day: YouTube’s Rewind Takes You on a Crazy Ride Through 2014 Pop Culture. Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/ad-day-youtubes-rewind-takes-you-crazy-ride-through-2014-pop-culture-161867

What Size is Plus-Size?

Last week, a new Calvin Klein model made headlines for being a “plus-size” model for the company’s newest “Perfectly Fit” underwear campaign. Myla Dalbesio is a size 10, which is considered plus-size in the fashion industry. In regards to the ad she said, “It’s kind of confusing because I’m a bigger girl. I’m not the biggest girl on the market but I’m definitely bigger than all the girls [Calvin Klein] has ever worked with, so that is really intimidating.”

This is a huge deal for Dalbesio, not only because Clavin Klein has launched many model’s careers including Brooke Shields and Kate Moss, but because of her personal life. She has struggled with bulimia, crash dieting, and Adderall abuse in the past.

Dalbesio seems genuinely excited about the new ads, and while she knows she is not a “skinny” model, she also agrees she is not plus size. Of course, people took to twitter about the issue. Many seemed offended that people would even consider a size 10 to be plus-size. @char_daisy said, “Can’t believe the fashion industry are branding the new size 10 Calvin Klein model as plus size. No wonder girls have confidence issue.” @sirithomass tweeted, “Myla Dalbesio is so gorgeous, she’s a size 10 but considered to be a plus size model. The world and fashion industry is so fucked up.” Clearly people spoke out about this topic online.

In a statement release by Calvin Klein, they said “The Perfectly Fit line was created to celebrate and cater to the needs of different women, and these images are intended to communicate that our new line is more inclusive and available in several silhouettes in an extensive range of sizes.”

So what do you think? The model herself does not seem offended. While a size 10 is not plus-size in normal society, it will take a lot for the fashion industry to change their mind on what is and is not plus-size. I believe that Calvin Klein is taking step in the right direction by hiring Dalbesio as their newest underwear model. Hopefully this action will encourage other high fashion companies to move away from the “stereotypical model” and start using real, normal women to advertise their clothes.

 

Chernikoff, L. (2014, November 7). Myla Dalbesio on Her New Calvin Klein Campaign and the Rise of the ‘In-Between’ Model. Retrieved November 17, 2014.

Warren, R. (2014, November 11). People Think Calvin Klein’s New Size 10 Model Is Its Plus-Size Model. Retrieved November 18, 2014.

This is Why People Hate Walmart

To me, the best part of Halloween is picking out my costume. Over the years I have been a variety of things, including a clown, Brittany Spears, and my personal favorite, a washing machine. Some costumes I made myself, but for many of them I got to go to the store and pick one out. It was awesome to stare down the aisle of the store and choose my “alter ego” for one night.

Walmart can be the go-to for everyone’s Halloween needs. They have the candy. They have the cookies. And they definitely have the costumes. A search for “Halloween Costume” on their site gave me more that 35,000 options. But Walmart made a big mistake this Monday, October 27th. One section of costumes was labeled “Fat Girl Costumes.” No one knows if this was some kind of joke or not, but if it was that is disgusting. The page was taken down around 11:00 that morning. The Walmart spokesperson said about the incident, “This never should have been on our site. It is unacceptable, and we apologize. We are working to remove it as soon as possible and ensure this never happens again.”

 

The website Jezebel, who first reported the story, could only guess that it was a named used in categorizing the different pages of costumes, and someone just forgot to change in.

Seriously Walmart? I would like to know what the person was thinking when her or she put this page online. How can something like this slip through the cracks and go unnoticed. I mean proofreading is NOT that hard people!!!! This only deepens my hatred for Walmart, and I am sure I am not the only one who thinks this way. I would like to see if their Halloween sales decrease after this. I certainly would not buy my costume from here anymore.

Here is a video from ACB News with more information and some other big time blunders from companies:

Do you think Walmart’s apology was enough? Or should they be doing something else to try and make their image better?

 

 

Bahadur, N. (2014, October 27). Walmart Was Offering A Special ‘Fat Girl Costumes’ Section In Its Online Store. Retrieved October 27, 2014.

Merlan, A. (2014, October 27). Walmart’s Website Features a Section of ‘Fat Girl Costumes’ Retrieved October 29, 2014.

Mullins, J. (2014, October 27). Walmart Apologies for Fat Girl Costumes Label on Site. Retrieved October 27, 2014.

Walmart Apologizes for ‘Fat Girl’ Costumes. (2014, October 28). Retrieved October 30, 2014.

Ads Getting Spookier This Time of Year

As everyone knows, Halloween is right around the corner. Holidays are not only fun for the family, but they also provide a huge market for communications. TV shows have special Halloween episodes and advertisements get a little spookier. Halloween is not only celebrated in the United States, so there is a bigger market internationally that can be sold to. The two international ads today are from Ikea and Snickers.

Singapore Ikea’s Halloween commercial is straight from the Shinning. It shows a little boy riding a bicycle through an Ikea store to creepy music. The different home scenes set up throughout the store that he passes are also scary. At the end of his ride he comes across two people dressed in blue dresses that tell him to “come pay with us Danny” is an echoing voice. The commercial takes a turn when the two people end up being his parents summoning the little boy to go to the check out line with them. Here is the ad below:

The second TV commercial is Spanish advertisement from Snickers titled “Twisted.” They follow their ongoing campaign “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” but with a little twist. Instead of being an annoying are cranky person, they show the “hungry person” as a terrifying monster. A boy is teasing a girl and the “monster” turned around and growls at them. One of the moms offers the monster a Snickers bar. It turns out the monster was actually another mom and the party. The commercial ends with another comic twist as the man watching TV growls at everyone because he is a “monster.” Someone should probably give him a Snickers as well!!! The link to watch the ad is below:

http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/snickers-gives-you-early-halloween-treat-truly-twisted-ad-160921

So what do you guys think? Do holiday ads work? Personally, I think they work very well. They encourage everyone to celebrate by using their product. With Snickers, it is obvious why they would choose to market with the Halloween theme. Come October 31st, every kid will have at least twenty fun-sized Snickers bars in his or her basket.  But why Ikea? Do they have a reason to spend money on an ad other than to celebrate the holiday? Is it a good way to spend their money?

 

Gianatasio, D. (2014, October 22). Ikea’s Parody of The Shining Is Devilishly Good. Retrieved October 22, 2014.

Nudd, T. (2014, October 22). Snickers Gives You an Early Halloween Treat With This Truly Twisted Ad. Retrieved October 23, 2014.

#TheOneThatIWant

“Chanel No 5. makes you irresistible. At least, if you’re Gisele Bündchen.” The brands latest 3 minute and 16 second advertisement shows off just how luxurious the the perfume is. Bündchen plays the role of a glamorous surfer, model, and mom who drives a sports car and lives in a mansion made of glass. It is supposed to be the second part of the Chanel ad staring Nicole Kidman back in 2004. The overall video is a love story between Bündchen and an unnamed man. He leaves her a note at the beginning, and Bündchen must go find where he ran off to.

The song playing in the background is “You’re the One That I Want” from Grease, but many would not even recognize the popular lyrics. Lo-Fang completely recomposed and performed it so it would have a more eerie, romantic feel. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, the same director of The Great Gatsby, the video has a feeling of elegance and class.

In a press conference about the ad, Luhrmann said, “In a way, Gisele became the script. I knew her when she was quite young and starting out, and she’s evolved so much in both her life and work. The film reflects that—this woman has a child, a real job and then she has this relationship. Gisele is the Chanel woman now.”

Just like in class today, celebrities used in advertisements can be risky, but I think Chanel chose the perfect person for the ad. Bündchen is smart, beautiful, and a mom. I think she represents everything Chanel is trying to convey in their ad. She seems dependable, talented (she has appeared in the recent campaign for Under Armor), and has a good image to the media overall.

Watch her in the video below:

The campaign even has a hashtag #TheOneThatIWant shown at the end of the video.

So what do you guys think? Does Gisele make Chanel No. 5 look desirable? She sure has sold me on the product. Chanel spent a lot of money making this (Nicole Kidman’s ad cost around $42 million). But I think it is necessary for the Chanel’s “brand image.” If a person is going to spend a hundred dollars on perfume or thousands of dollars on a handbag, Chanel better make them want it. Chanel is selling a “fantasy” with this commercial, and with over one million views on YouTube within the first 24 hours, I think they are doing it right.

 

Beltrone, G. (2014, October 16). Brand of the Day: Chanel No. 5 Finds a New Muse in the Stunning Gisele Bündchen. Retrieved October 16, 2014.

Surprise!!! Red Bull DOES NOT Give You Wings–and now the company is paying for it

Sorry to disappoint people, but guess what–Red Bull does not actually give you wings. Since 2002, the company has falsely advertised this in their ad campaign. These false advertisements have finally caught up to Red Bull because a class action law suit was filed against them. It is said that “increased performance, concentration and reaction speed,” are not the true results of the product. The plaintiffs did not actually say they expected to grow some wings after drinking the popular energy drink, but they were disappointed that their physical/athletic abilities did not improve. Red Bull decided to settle, which was passed by the U.S District Court of the Souther District of New York. Although the court did not rule in favor of either side, Red Bull decided to settle because “distractions and costs of litigation.”

You can read the settlement here.

In a statement to Bevnet, the company said, “Red Bull settled the lawsuit to avoid the cost and distraction of litigation. However, Red Bull maintains that its marketing and labeling have always been truthful and accurate and denies any and all wrongdoing or liability.” It also claims, “Such deceptive conduct and practices mean that [Red Bull’s] advertising and marketing is not just ‘puffery,’ but is instead deceptive and fraudulent and is therefore actionable.”

As a result, Red Bull settled for $13 million. Anyone who has purchased a Red Bull within the past 12 years (January. 1, 2002 and October. 3, 2014) can file a claim. You will receive a $15 voucher towards Red Bull products or a $10 check if you fill out a claim form.

When I first read this, I honestly thought it was  joke. The plaintiffs had to be after the money it would provide them. That a claim like this can be made is a joke. This should not even be considered false advertising. “Red Bull gives you wings” is just a slogan not to be taken literally, and it is common sense that it shouldn’t be. Do you think the company did the right thing by settling? Should they have been clearer in their advertising strategy that Red Bull is meant to only be an energy drink and will not actual increase physical and athletic improvement?

 

Sources:

Contreras, O. (2014, October 8). Red Bull agrees to pay you back $10 if you bought one of their energy drinks since 2002. Retrieved October 9, 2014.

Good, D. (2014, October 9). If you Bought a Red Bull Since 2002, You Could Get $10. Retrieved October 9, 2014.

O’Reilly, L. (2014, October 8). Red Bull Will Pay $10 To Customers Disappointed The Drink Didn’t Actually Give Them ‘Wings’ Retrieved October 8, 2014.

Red Bull to refund customers in false advertising settlement. (2014, October 8). Retrieved October 9, 2014.

New Show Ad Taken Down from LA Buses for being Offensive

 

 

The newest Fox show, which aired September 17, Red Band Society, has already caused controversy in the streets of LA. The advertisement for the show (above) has been taken down from 190 Metro buses in Los Angeles, California. The show is a comedy-drama based on a group of kids living in a hospital. One has a heart condition, one an eating disorder, some with cancer, and one in a coma.

The ad was part of a campaign to promote Fox’s new show. It is a picture of all the main characters of the show with writing describing a little bit about them. The doctor is called the “Hot Doc,” one girl is called the “Mean Girl,” and one patient is called “The Rebel.” It seems that all the characters are a stereotypical high school kids, only they are not in high school.

The controversial part of this ad is one of the “labels” on the picture. Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer is called the “Scary Bitch.” Her role in the show is the tough nurse who doesn’t take any crap from anyone. Many people, including protestor Jasmyne Cannick, were outraged at the portrayal of this character. In a statement, Cannick said, “I don’t know if I find it more offensive because I’m black, or more offensive because I’m a woman. I sometimes think our city forgets that there are black people that still live here and call Los Angeles home.”

 

CBS Outdoor on the controversy said, “The advertisement depicts the nicknames of the characters used in the television series. Once we were made aware of public concern, we immediately began to remove the advertisements.” Also, a Fox spokeswoman said “Metro Los Angeles ultimately decided to take down the ads, and we respect that decision.We sincerely apologize if the copy was offensive to viewers.”

The mayor also played a role in the removal of the bus ads. He has asked the ad agency to “tighten up procedures” in regards to what they think is okay to advertise and what could be perceived as offensive to others.

All in all, the ad is not very offensive to me. I do not believe it was Fox’s intentions to produce an offensive advertisement. Octavia Spencer knows her role as the character Nurse Jackson. She is not offended by the characterization of her role, so why should other people? Clearly she knows her part and is okay with playing it.

So what do you think about the advertisement? Offensive or not? Should it have been kept up on the Metro in LA? Is America become too sensitive when it comes to advertising? Is there a line advertisers should not cross?

 

 

 

Fox, L. (2014, September 19). Los Angeles Metro Pulls Fox TV’s “Red Band Society”Ad. Retrieved September 23, 2014.

Quest7. (2014, September 22). ‘Red Band Society’ Ads Taken Down From LA Metro Buses After Complaints. Retrieved September 23, 2014.

Whitcomb, D. (2014, September 19). ‘Red Band Society’ bus ads pulled over sexist, racist language. Retrieved September 23, 2014.

#GetYourGameFaceOn

If anyone is even remotely updated on current events, you should know what is going on with the Nation Football League. Last week a video surfaced of former running back for the Baltimore Ravens Ray Rice beating his then fiancé, now wife, in an elevator. Although this incident happened back in February (Rice was suspended for two games), now that the video is out he has officially been kicked out of the NFL.

CoverGirl is the official beauty partner of the NFL. In their most recent campaign, they have been promoting the organization by creating a signature makeup look for every team in the league. “Get your game face on” is the tag line used to entice women football fans. Last night, a photoshopped picture of the CoverGirl Ravens ad went viral.

Original CoverGirl ad for the Ravens

Edited ad

Whoever photoshopped the ad altered the model’s make up to make it look like she has a black eye.  Many have tweeted this image along with #GoodellMustGo and #BoycottNFL to encourage the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, to resign. Fans of the NFL are outraged by how the NFL handled the situation and now they are looking for someone to fix it. Since the video has come out the NFL has changed the rules for whoever breaks their domestic violence policy. The consequence is now a six game non-paid suspension.

Although CoverGirl is still backing the NFL they released this statement to E! News: “As a brand that has always supported women and stood for female empowerment, COVERGIRL believes domestic violence is completely unacceptable. We developed our NFL program to celebrate the more than 80 million female football fans. In light of recent events, we have encouraged the NFL to take swift action on their path forward to address the issue of domestic violence.” 

Different companies have also been affected by the domestic violence case. EA, the creators of Madden, have taken Ray Rice out of the popular video game and Nike has terminated Rice’s contract and taken his  jersey off their website.

Do you think that whoever edited the advertisement was ethical? Was it okay for them to intervene with the campaign in such a way? Is the picture powerful enough to get through to people?

 

Finn, N. (2014, September 15). CoverGirl Model Given a Black Eye in Ad Photoshopped to Protest the NFL After Ray Rice Domestic Abuse Debacle. Retrieved September 16, 2014.

Lobosco, K. (2014, September 15). CoverGirl ad attacked by NFL protesters. Retrieved September 16, 2014.

 

Gap Telling People to “Dress Normal” in Newest Ad Campaign

As fall quickly approaches, new advertising campaigns are popping up everywhere–the Gap is no exception. In the past, Gap has been known for short, precise tag lines such as “Black is a Color” and “Born to Fit.” But this time has customers a little confused. The news line the company came out with is “Dress Normal.” Gap hired director David Fincher, most known for directing House of Cards, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Fight Club.  In doing this they tried to add “anxiety” to commercials. The company did not want a typical Gap advertisement, but “we [Gap] wanted to tell part of the story and leave a sense of wonder,” said Gap’s Global Chief Marketing Officer, Seth Farbman, who also told Buzzfeed–

“There’s certainly a long tradition at Gap that people come first and that the clothes are there to make you feel like your best self, and we’ve been unapologetic about that for years. ‘Dress Normal’ is a reinforcement of that idea.”

The print ads for the fall include celebrities Anjelica Huston, Elisabeth Moss, Michael K. Williams, Jena Malone and Zosia Mamet. These stars are pictured in everyday scenes. One (below) is resting on  a chair. One is a woman walking on a beach, another sitting at a coffee shop. Unlike past Gap ads where models are posing against a simple, colored background, these new ads try to depict people wearing Gap clothes in a normal setting.

 

The commercials are all in black and white, with the Gap logo at the end in white, aqua, yellow, or pink. This could be a nod to the different colors incorporated in the new fall line. The company, whose average buyer is age 39, wanted to appeal to the Millennials (age 16 to 34) yet still be classic and stay in touch with the older generation of Gap buyers.

Unfortunately, the view of the marketing director is not what is coming across to many customers. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, normal means “usual or ordinary : not strange.” In a society where everyone strives to be extraordinary and original, it seems like Gap is telling them to be average. While this is not what Gap was trying to go for, it is how a great deal of consumers are interpreting the new campaign.

In my opinion, I can see where Gap is trying to go with this, but it just does not come across as well as I am sure they hoped. The commercials and print ads are very well designed and planned out, but the tag line needs some work.

 

Diaz, A., & Zmuda, N. (2014, August 27). David Fincher Elevates ‘Dress Normal’ for Gap | CMO Strategy – Advertising Age. Retrieved September 10, 2014.

Maheshwari, S. (2014, August 18). Gap Tells Customers To “Dress Normal” In Fall Marketing Campaign. Retrieved September 10, 2014.

Normal. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2014.

Silva, T. (2014, September 9). The Gap’s Strange New Ad Campaign. Retrieved September 10, 2014.

Vaynshteyn, G. (2014, August 21). What Exactly Does Gap Mean by “Dress Normal?” Retrieved September 10, 2014.

Artist Puts Disney Characters in a New, Disturbing Light

Saint Hoax, a Middle Eastern artist, has created multiple campaigns using Disney characters to bring attention to social issues such as domestic violence and eating disorders. All of the posters have the same design. The Disney character takes up the whole frame. At the bottom is either a question or a fact about the specific issue at hand, with a smaller statement below.

Happy Never After is the first set of pictures. This series focuses on girls and domestic violence. Saint Hoax is encouraging them to report any and all abuse. The posters depict popular Disney princesses with cuts and bruises on their faces. There is a simple question at the bottom of the poster, “When did he stop treating you like a princess?” Right below it is says “It’s never to late to put an end to it.”

The second series is called The Royal Misfits. The goal is to raise awareness of anorexia in children. Disney characters are portrayed as ultra skinny. The tagline for this campaign in “Fit for a princess (or hero)? Don’t let anorexia eat you alive.”

Next is Princest Diaries, focusing on anyone who has been abused by a relative. “46% of minors who are raped are victims of family members. It’s never to late to report your attack.” The posters show Disney princesses being kissed by their fathers.

The final poster series is just like the first, except it is aimed at boys. Called Prince Charmless, it shows heroes of Disney movies abused. At the bottom of the picture is says “When did she stop treating you like a hero? Don’t be ashamed to ask for help.” It is rare to hear about the abuse of men because so many cases go unreported. The artist had this to say about it: “We continuously see campaigns about abused women but rarely encounter any campaign that targets male victims of domestic violence. I only knew these statistics about abused men last month after doing an intensive research around the subject. The information wasn’t out there, I had to dig for it.”

These campaigns are extremely effective. They not only target adults, but also children who are often overlooked when it comes to things like eating disorders. It takes innocent characters and puts them into corrupt situations. The first time I saw this I was very taken aback. It is weird to look at the characters I admired growing up and see them with bruises and cuts. Although these images may come across as disturbing, but I think it is exactly what society needs. It catches your attention right away and gets straight to the point. One glance at the poster and a person can tell what it is about, but is also intrigued enough to look more into the subject.

 

 

 

 

Couch, R. (2014, August 11). Battered Disney Princes Encourage Men ‘Not To Be Embarrassed To Ask For Help’ Retrieved September 3, 2014.

Saint Hoax. (2014, January 1). Retrieved September 3, 2014.