Dolce and Gabbana (D&G) is a luxury fashion brand that is ran by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana (Dolce&Gabbana, 2016). The duo first met in Milan in 1980 were they worked for an independent fashion brand before joining together to form their own brand using their last names. D&G quickly raised to fame and made over 500 million dollars towards the end 1990’s due to their out of the box thinking and now their annual turnover can be anything from 600 million dollars upwards (Dolce&Gabbana, 2016). D&G main fashion style is formal and timeless pieces, designed for upper class people who can afford this luxury (Dolce&Gabbana, 2016). D&G have won many awards for their amazing advertising campaigns and being centred around style and high class, however D&G have done a fair share of sexual advertising campaigns were some of these images have labelled with very negative conation’s for the brand itself and how they chose to brand their products (Dolce&Gabbana, 2016).
The following images are from D&G fragrance range of Spring/Summer 2007.
Credit: D&G
Credit: D&G
Credit D&G
Credit: D&G
Credit: D&G
Should a fashion advertising campaign show gang rape and we as consumers think this is okay to promote your seasons ‘must haves?' The campaign images attracted a lot of attention from major TV shows like American next top model for example. American next top model judge Kelly Clarkson judge tweeted following the images release “I guess simulating gang bans are fine – same sex marriage is not – life according to @D&G” (Metro, 2015). Dolce and Gabbana did make headlines after their standpoint on same sex marriage was released and the duo are not supporting this in our modern times. However, shortly after the duo released an advertising graphic suggesting gang rape yet again but only men appearing this time (Metro, 2015). The adverts were soon pulled from release in 2007 whilst still in production due to the adverts nature and suggestive poses in the graphics above. However, the adverts were already online before it was pulled from their proceedings meaning this image's could easily be saved and shared. The Advertising Self-Discipline Institute labelled the advert's as “Offended the dignity of the woman, in the sense that the feminine figure is shown in degrading manner” (Metro, 2015). The overall look of a helpless woman and mighty men surrounding her and being what violent towards her is not a good look for any fashion brand whether they want to be sexy or not. This type of suggestive imagery that a woman is subjected to a gang rape, or does our current culture allow for this, in that the image is purely creative and the norm. Consumers did react negatively around this image and deeply affect D&G brand image and what they stand for as a result (Metro, 2015). Negative cognations for any fashion brand values is bad, despite D&G advert being pulled from many productions expect for circumstances they could not avoid, D&G saw a 12% rise in sales (Bloomberg, 2013). The woman is seen to be less superior than men and promote deep sexual tension between male and female, despite this the advertising campaign worked for D&G.
The images below see’s a woman dressed in skin tight leather and representing a dominance nature, having whips to hit the topless men on their knees. The men shirts are covering their eyes which is strong sexual image with woman in control of these topless men and can have their way. Does the image suggest woman are always in charge of men despite the glass ceiling still in many organisations, or could this image suggest woman are always in charge in the bed room (HuffingtonPost, 2015). This is another Dolce and Gabbana advertising image that screams sex and takes away the fashion aspect of expressing clothing but selling it's life values are for sale. If a consumer were to buy Dolce and Gabbana products, they can in return have a taste of this hot and sexy life, this is truly what Dolce and Gabbana highlight in their sexual advertising campaigns and safe to say their turnover mentioned at the start, the idea works in using sex to sell their products. Consumers do react negatively but still buy the products as mentioned previous. Dolce and Gabbana are promoting heavily gang rape imagery and just simply represent sexual dominance if you buy their products, but it is clearly working. D&G sexual advertising campaigns evoke emotions from the media and public alike, which clearly work for their brand, although negative conation’s are highly involved in their campaign they do get people talking and buying their products as a result of sexual advertising.
The following images are from D&G fragrance range of Spring/Summer 2007.
 |
| Credit: D&G |
Credit: D&G
Credit: D&G
Credit D&G
Credit: D&G
Credit: D&G
Should a fashion advertising campaign show gang rape and we as consumers think this is okay to promote your seasons ‘must haves?' The campaign images attracted a lot of attention from major TV shows like American next top model for example. American next top model judge Kelly Clarkson judge tweeted following the images release “I guess simulating gang bans are fine – same sex marriage is not – life according to @D&G” (Metro, 2015). Dolce and Gabbana did make headlines after their standpoint on same sex marriage was released and the duo are not supporting this in our modern times. However, shortly after the duo released an advertising graphic suggesting gang rape yet again but only men appearing this time (Metro, 2015). The adverts were soon pulled from release in 2007 whilst still in production due to the adverts nature and suggestive poses in the graphics above. However, the adverts were already online before it was pulled from their proceedings meaning this image's could easily be saved and shared. The Advertising Self-Discipline Institute labelled the advert's as “Offended the dignity of the woman, in the sense that the feminine figure is shown in degrading manner” (Metro, 2015). The overall look of a helpless woman and mighty men surrounding her and being what violent towards her is not a good look for any fashion brand whether they want to be sexy or not. This type of suggestive imagery that a woman is subjected to a gang rape, or does our current culture allow for this, in that the image is purely creative and the norm. Consumers did react negatively around this image and deeply affect D&G brand image and what they stand for as a result (Metro, 2015). Negative cognations for any fashion brand values is bad, despite D&G advert being pulled from many productions expect for circumstances they could not avoid, D&G saw a 12% rise in sales (Bloomberg, 2013). The woman is seen to be less superior than men and promote deep sexual tension between male and female, despite this the advertising campaign worked for D&G.
The images below see’s a woman dressed in skin tight leather and representing a dominance nature, having whips to hit the topless men on their knees. The men shirts are covering their eyes which is strong sexual image with woman in control of these topless men and can have their way. Does the image suggest woman are always in charge of men despite the glass ceiling still in many organisations, or could this image suggest woman are always in charge in the bed room (HuffingtonPost, 2015). This is another Dolce and Gabbana advertising image that screams sex and takes away the fashion aspect of expressing clothing but selling it's life values are for sale. If a consumer were to buy Dolce and Gabbana products, they can in return have a taste of this hot and sexy life, this is truly what Dolce and Gabbana highlight in their sexual advertising campaigns and safe to say their turnover mentioned at the start, the idea works in using sex to sell their products. Consumers do react negatively but still buy the products as mentioned previous. Dolce and Gabbana are promoting heavily gang rape imagery and just simply represent sexual dominance if you buy their products, but it is clearly working. D&G sexual advertising campaigns evoke emotions from the media and public alike, which clearly work for their brand, although negative conation’s are highly involved in their campaign they do get people talking and buying their products as a result of sexual advertising.
Credit: D&G
References
Bloomberg, 2013. Bloomberg news. [online[. [viewed 12th November 2016]. Available from: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-01-15/dolce-and-gabbana-become-billionaires-amid-global-spending-spree
Dolce and Gabbana, 2016., D&G group. [Online]. [viewed 11 November 2016. Available from: http://www.dolcegabbana.com/corporate/en/group/company.html
Huffington Post, 2015. Huffington Post Articles.[Online]. [viewed 11 November 2016. Available from: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/03/18/dolce-and-gabbana0gang-rape-advert_n_6893044.html
Metro, 2015., Metro articles. [Online]. [viewed 11 November 2016. Available from: http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/18/dolce-gabbana-in-hot-water-again-after-gang-rape-ad-campaign-resurfaces-just-days-after-ivf-furore-5108624/
Inspiration Feed, 2016., Inspiration feed Sex-Sells. [online]. [viewed 22nd November 2016]. Available from: http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/sex-sells-50-creative-sexual-advertisements/
fuck u
ReplyDeleteFeminists, even though the image clearly represents that men are being abused by women, say that it is women who are abused.
ReplyDeleteFeminists must simply be wiped off the face of the Earth.
What would they say if the exact same ad was with the sexes reversed?