Normal Is Boring

This fall, Gap released a new ad campaign with the tagline “Dress Normal”. The ads have been met with mixed emotions and I can’t say I’m sold on their new direction either.

Gap has always been a very “vanilla” brand, selling plain, preppy clothing; it seems that they’re trying to shed this image by becoming a little more edgy, if cardigans and khakis could be edgy. The ads, most of which feature celebrities, are all pretty dull in colour and feature the model or celebrity doing normal everyday stuff, pretty dull all around if you ask me. And then there’s the tagline, “Dress Normal”. What does that even mean? Is there even a definition of normal in fashion anymore? Or are they trying to say that the cardigans and khakis they sell are what’s normal and that we should stick to wearing basics? In a world of individualism and wanting to stand out, who really wants to dress normally like everyone else? Not I.

It’s funny how the look of the campaign gives off an edgy vibe when really the company and the clothes they sell haven’t changed at all. If you visit Gap’s website you’ll see the same bright colours and cheerful models wearing the same simple clothing that Gap has always sold.

It’s safe to say that what Gap wanted with this campaign was to stir up some buzz, which they have accomplished. The ads have become quite talked about since their release but it hasn’t been all praise. Nice try Gap but abnormal is the new normal.

Ouch

The title says it all and this is how I’ll sum up this ad, ouch. Now I know this is not a beauty or fashion related ad, but as I was flipping through the pages of a fashion magazine I came across this piece that just struck me as so bizarre that I just had to talk about it.

First of all, what exactly is a Diva Cup? For a seemingly unknown product, this ad doesn’t offer up much information other than the words “Say goodbye to tampons and pads” from this, I can only imagine what the product is used for. There’s also a tiny picture of the product in the bottom left-hand corner, it’s a questionable looking device which will probably prompt readers to visit the website (like I did) so there’s one thing going for them.

Then there’s this god-awful headline, I’m not even sure where to begin. The copy itself doesn’t make much sense, then there’s the overuse of exclamation points and the dreaded ellipses. If there’s one thing I learned from advertising school, it’s to never use ellipses in advertising. I’m sure there must be some exception to the rule but this headline is subject to no exception, it’s simply baffling.

Next, I need to address this poor woman’s facial expression who looks like she’s in excruciating pain (perhaps from the use of this product?). I’m not sure what the art director was going for here, excitement? Anticipation? Whatever the case, I don’t think the end result is a favourable one

Elle Canada, where I found this ad, is full of beautiful and sophisticated ads for designer brands like Chanel and Rolex who deliver works of art by award-winning photographers and creative directors. For some reason they’ve allowed this ad for Diva Cup to tarnish their pages. It just doesn’t seem fitting to me. Diva Cup really missed the mark on this one; hopefully their product doesn’t elicit as much pain as their ad does.

The Advertorial

The image you see above is what’s called an advertorial; it may look like a regular magazine editorial however it’s actually an ad for Sorel. The page on the left is clearly an ad, with a basic image of the product but the page on the right looks like a winter fashion article. The advertorial clearly states ADVERTISEMENT on the top right-hand corner, which is required by law. Although the writing is small, it is there.

Although it may be seen as deceptive, I’m a fan of the advertorial. Most people don’t look through a magazine for the ads (unless you’re in advertising like I am) and so if you’re forced to look at ads they might as well look like an article.

This ad looks like a beautiful piece on winter boots. From the font choice to the photo, this page is visually pleasing and actually made me want to read it. Although the copy was solely about selling their new style of boot, I didn’t feel disappointed or cheated because I realized beforehand that it was an ad and was expecting it.

Although I’ve mentioned my distaste for deceptive advertising previously on my blog, I do stand behind this one. This is the kind of ad that fashionistas will stop and notice and I appreciate an ad that takes advantage of its media.  

Understated Elegance

Chanel is a timeless brand with a rich history; the name itself exudes sophistication and elegance. Whether it be their handbags or their line of cosmetics, Chanel creates breath-taking products and their advertising is no different. Although the brand has recently come under fire for their commercial featuring Brad Pitt, which can only be described as awkward, the majority of their print ads are always made to look both classy and classic.

I was flipping through ELLE Canada magazine when this Chanel ad caught my eye. At first, the ad looks pretty customary for the brand but what struck me was that on the right page they decided to rotate the model to be sideways. I found this subtle detail to be interesting and began thinking about why they chose to do this. I rotated the magazine myself to see the photo straight on and thought, sure it’s a lovely image of a model wearing lip gloss but when it’s placed on its side like they did, it just brings so much more interest to the ad. I commend Chanel for stepping outside of their box, even if it’s only a baby step.

I find the ad itself to be quite striking the way they’ve used contrast and repetition, it’s simple yet still makes an impact. I appreciate that Chanel didn’t see the need to fill the ad from top to bottom with ornate images and that they instead went for an understatement.

Any beauty-loving woman will enjoy gawking at this ad and will probably get the urge to visit a Chanel counter. I know this ad makes me want to go out and buy a $34 lip gloss.