Are you trying to sell clothes or not?

Fashion Ads have been used since the beginning of time to create buzz about a designer. In today's society, the more risqué the advertisement, the more attention it receives. There are ads relating to drugs, sex, and lifestyles. A specific ad that has been one of the most commented on in the past two years is the 2007 Sisley Fashion Junkie ad. Sisley is a French brand who has been known throughout the years for their shocking ad campaigns.

This ad shows two women who are snorting a dress to symbolize their addiction to fashion. The dress represents a cocaine which the models are snorting. The advertisement was designed to show society's (mainly women in this case) addiction to fashion. The ad received a lot of attention however not all of it was positive. According to various blog posts, women felt as though it was addressing the wrong issues such as women's health and drug problems. Personally, I found this idea to be horrible Public Relations research.

This shows that the company did not think about the negative image that would come to the brand. Younger teens who would see this in magazines would be exposed to drugs and sex (referring to the exposed nipple on the model on the left). It also gives the idea that this brand supports the use of drugs and that these skinny models are using them. Also the campaign gave the idea that a woman's love for fashion is as problematic as one's addiction to illegal substances. This is an offensive message because it is not unhealthy (at least in most cases) to be "addicted" to fashion.

After looking at the 2010 advertisements posted on the Sisley website, it doesn't seem as if much has changed. The photographs are still provocative and may not attract customers.

This photo which is not as intense as some that can be found in the slide shows on the website (photos include men kissing other men and women kissing other women), is not one that many parents would be pleased with their young daughters looking at. Although it is a subtle approach, it doesn't take long for a person to realize it is a reference to sex. The company also has a children's line which doesn't use as shocking of an approach to promote the clothing. The issue is however, that by using these ads for adults, prospective parents will not even consider the childrens' line.

Personally, I find that this company should research a different way to promote their clothing. I also think they lack an established demographic because a company that sells women's clothing and children's clothing should have a link in the brand and a children's brand definitely should not be linked to these photos. Like our textbook says, "Advertising and public relations is a perception-driven business" and this perception is definitely not a positive one.