All Ages, All Races, All Sexes....o rly?

[user79]

I know this is what MAC always says it stands for, but since the last Icon collection with Raquel I'm a little bit skeptical.

I mean, what 67 year old woman actually looks like this?

I wish they'd do the promo pictures a little bit more age accurate, to refelect their words. It seems really hypocritical to use a mature woman, but then photoshop the heck out of her to make her look like a 20 year old.

It would be cool if they did the ads more realistic, maybe a bit like Dove is doing in their Campaign for Real Beauty. What's so awful about wrinkles? If anything, those pictures are reinforcing the notion that even at 60, we as women have to strive to stay young forever, no matter what that entails. I really have a problem with this kind of thinking.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Eemaan]

kinda false advertising when you consider the airbrushing and surgery some of the icon collection stars have had

sheesh her skin looks smoother than mine and im 26

 

[Winthrop44]

Good point. As a 50 year old myself, I appreciate your bringing it up.

 

[Krasevayadancer]

All I remember thinking about when I first saw the picture was that there was no way she could be 67. I think she is beautiful but obviously she has had some cosmetic surgery. Combine that with photoshop and the woman does indeed look 30 or 40. Maybe Mac does this so that even though she is older, the younger customers can still sort of relate? I must say however, it does sort of send a wrong signal but I guess thats the whole nature of the consumer's market.

 

[GothicGirl]

Isn´t Raquel Welch supposed to be one of the queens of plastic surgery in Hollywood? That´s what I´ve heard, at least. With that in mind, and looking at the promo pictures, sure, no way she could be a true example of the "all ages" thing, because she herself doesn´t want to look like her age.

 

[Shimmer]

Look on the posters. You can still see her crow's feet.

 

[Eemaan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer Look on the posters. You can still see her crow's feet.

yah i think they deliberately left those to make the 67 bit a lil more credible

 

[Esperanza]

Looky here:

http://entimg.msn.com/i/150/Movies/A...35_150x200.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...S/2bfcd1a0.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...S/1bf2b891.jpg

Aaand the magic of the mix between surgery and photoshop:
http://thecelebritycondition.typepad...uelwelch_1.jpg

Very good point indeed... I remember when Catherine Deneuve was one of the MAC icon, how photoshoped were the pics on their site!! And she also had lots of surgery... maybe it's time to think about the real sense of their campaign

 

[Shimmer]

it's not just photoshop, it's warm lights, and softening filters, and good makeup, and artful placement ofhair...it's a mix of things really.

 

[madkitty]

very true and my mum always has problems at our mac counter too as they always ignore her or are short - she takes me along now as she says it makes a difference having someone younger there

 

[FemmeNoir]

Very true, but they also airbrush the heck out of younger models, too.

 

[geeko]

nevertheless, i think she was very beautiful when she was younger....

but in the cosmetic industry, many consumers expect to see perfection in the poster girl .....

 

[caffn8me]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer it's not just photoshop, it's warm lights, and softening filters, and good makeup, and artful placement ofhair...it's a mix of things really.

I'm getting on a bit so have been practising the "Cousin It" style of hair - it's amazing! Really hides all the wrinkles.

I think we have to be careful and not be too critical because M·A·C chooses icons who look good. The people who become icons really must be known and loved by the public. They are the sort of people likely to want to keep themselves looking young because they are in the public eye and able to afford to as well.

 

[jillianjiggs]

they're trying to sell makeup. of course they're going to airbrush the crap out of everything to show you that even a 67 year old woman can look beautiful if you buy the products she's using.*

as for the dove ads...i find them almost hypocritical. talking about how we are all beautiful the way we are, yet selling firming lotion to take care of that nasty cellulite and sagginess. don't get me wrong, i like the campaign idea and the ads. i'm sure they make some women feel good about themselves. but i doubt those women go out and buy any more dove soap than they did before.

no one would buy a product if all ads were true to life. part of marketing is to convince you that you NEED this product, and to show you how great you can look once you have it (the ad)

anyways, i am making this into something too big. it's pretty common knowledge that raquel has had some work done.

* not that anyone should feel unbeautiful because of their age. but i'm sure that's part of the marketing scheme.

 

[Calhoune]

Raquel is a beautiful woman for her age, so I really don't think alllll that photoshopping would've been necessary. Of course I understand why you'd use photoshop, but removing all of her wrinkles? I think that's a bit of overkill.

Wrinkles I think, personally, makes you look experienced and sophisticated. And it's not like I would've gone, "eww that woman has wrinkles I can't buy that make up now".

:/ Yeah I just wish they could've left some

 

[ms.marymac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillianjiggs they're trying to sell makeup. of course they're going to airbrush the crap out of everything to show you that even a 67 year old woman can look beautiful if you buy the products she's using.* as for the dove ads...i find them almost hypocritical. talking about how we are all beautiful the way we are, yet selling firming lotion to take care of that nasty cellulite and sagginess. don't get me wrong, i like the campaign idea and the ads. i'm sure they make some women feel good about themselves. but i doubt those women go out and buy any more dove soap than they did before. no one would buy a product if all ads were true to life. part of marketing is to convince you that you NEED this product, and to show you how great you can look once you have it (the ad) anyways, i am making this into something too big. it's pretty common knowledge that raquel has had some work done. * not that anyone should feel unbeautiful because of their age. but i'm sure that's part of the marketing scheme.

That's exactly what I was going to say. Even with Pammy's ad, she was airbrushed like a mamma jamma. I actually saw customers that expected the makeup to make their skin look like her's did in the ad. Unfortunately, if there is a lot of texture, the skin won't look as smooth.

I think Raquel looks fabulous in the pictures where she is not photoshopped.

 

[Shimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyarorain Raquel is a beautiful woman for her age, so I really don't think alllll that photoshopping would've been necessary. Of course I understand why you'd use photoshop, but removing all of her wrinkles? I think that's a bit of overkill. Wrinkles I think, personally, makes you look experienced and sophisticated. And it's not like I would've gone, "eww that woman has wrinkles I can't buy that make up now". :/ Yeah I just wish they could've left some

They didn't remove all of her wrinkles. You can still see her smile lines

 

[xbeatofangelx]

I would rather look at a young, pretty person in an advertisement than an older, less pretty person. Just my personal preference I guess, to prefer more beauty!

It is... just an advertisement after all.

 

[ms.marymac]

Edited b/c I may have taken your post out of context...

 

[Shimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xbeatofangelx I would rather look at a young, pretty person in an advertisement than an older, less pretty person. Just my personal preference I guess, to prefer more beauty! It is... just an advertisement after all.

What makes an older person less beautiful? Age? Really?

Because I've seen people get better as they get older. Think Diane Lane. She's gotten better and better as she's gotten older. My own looks have improved as I've gotten older, I know more than a few women personally who have all improved with age.
Age doesn't make you ugly.
Personality sure will though.