Commercial Campaigns aka Selling Out

[Nueva]

high fashion models doing commercial gigs...

1. Raquel Zimmermann for Clairol... she looks fantastic here...!
2. Caroline Ribiero hawking both Clairol and Revlon... still looks classy...
3. Gisele for VS... beautiful photography...
4. Karolina for Express... eh, kinda boring...

bottom line, doing commercial work doesn't have to be the end of the world... especially if it still looks good...

 

[sapphireskies]

I think a model would have difficulty snagging high fashion/runway work if she started out by only doing commercial work- ie catalogs/mall store brands(Amercrombie et al). Isn't that the case usually? That the high fashion/runway people write off a model if all her past work is commercial?

 

[sapphireskies]

I also wanted to add that I would think the best way to go about it, is to definitely start with runway work, so as not to be typecasted as a "commercial girl", right? I've often thought though, that a models agency has already pretty much already concluded what category, runway/high fashion or commercial/catalog type of model she would be, no? Such as they push certain girls for certain jobs.

 

[softgrey]

i think a lot of these ads are shot by famous editorial photographers and i think ka model's decision to do this type of ad is often affected by who's shooting the campaign...

if they know some great photographer is shooting it, then chances are the ads will look good...

look at the huge ann taylor ad campaign shot by annnie liebowitz featuring pretty much every big model out there...it was beautiful...

and karen elson's career was not affected by posing for banana republic...if anything...it helped her stay in the public eye and now she's hotter than ever before...

it's all relative...

 

[Sweets]

I think most people on this thread are completely missing the point... Models dont start modeling to have some sort of street cred (a la only high fashion work) models want to WORK- work makes money, commercial work most of the time makes a lot MORE money. I've got nothing against angela lindvall with covergirl, or karolina with victorias secret- face it the girls are getting paid and that is truly all that matters. Million dollar commercial contract- or only high fashion editorials.... hmmm i'll take the contract.

 

[Nueva]

I think most people on this thread are completely missing the point... Models dont start modeling to have some sort of street cred (a la only high fashion work) models want to WORK- work makes money, commercial work most of the time makes a lot MORE money. I've got nothing against angela lindvall with covergirl, or karolina with victorias secret- face it the girls are getting paid and that is truly all that matters. Million dollar commercial contract- or only high fashion editorials.... hmmm i'll take the contract.

you said it!

 

[martinionrox]

I think most people on this thread are completely missing the point... Models dont start modeling to have some sort of street cred (a la only high fashion work) models want to WORK- work makes money, commercial work most of the time makes a lot MORE money. I've got nothing against angela lindvall with covergirl, or karolina with victorias secret- face it the girls are getting paid and that is truly all that matters. Million dollar commercial contract- or only high fashion editorials.... hmmm i'll take the contract.

exactly.. money makes the world go round. If a model were to get any high-paying commerical gig, he or she would be STOKED. getting work is all that matters, and making their book as full and unique as possible.

 

[Deleted member 1957]

i mean one of the reasons they become models is to make money, if voctoria's secrets or clairor comes with a contract that pays more than gucci or versace why not take it? you arent gonna be a model forever so you d better make that cash while you still can!!!

 

[modelgig]

Well Said Urban Stylin! A lot of high fashion people think doing commercial work is a step down, not so... It is definitely a step up for the models mainly and for their agents.. win win situation especially if its commerical work that pays millions of dollars.

 

[sasseestefanie]

As long as you make money.. I see NOTHING wrong with commercial work.... hell, I'd do it!

 

[funkalicious]

I agree with you. You take up modelling for the money right??

 

[Erin]

I think most people on this thread are completely missing the point... Models dont start modeling to have some sort of street cred (a la only high fashion work) models want to WORK- work makes money, commercial work most of the time makes a lot MORE money. I've got nothing against angela lindvall with covergirl, or karolina with victorias secret- face it the girls are getting paid and that is truly all that matters. Million dollar commercial contract- or only high fashion editorials.... hmmm i'll take the contract.

Great point.

Models MODEL for a living. Whether it's high-end, or lower-end (for lack of better terms), I think a lot of times, money is where it's at. Sure, some are concerned with their status and at balancing the types of ads/companies they agree to model for. However, in the end, it IS their job, and they want the contract.

 

[fashionkitten7]

......So do models lose their uniqueness when they do commercial work?..................
.....................But what exactly defines commercialization in the modeling world?

I think it's rather the amount of commercial compaigns that a model has done than the fact she did something commercial. So, as long as you don't get overdone, you're fine.

There're some exclusions to that, though, like L'Orial compaigns, for example, that is almost garanteed to comercialize anyone.

 

[fashionkitten7]

Great point.

Models MODEL for a living. Whether it's high-end, or lower-end (for lack of better terms), I think a lot of times, money is where it's at. Sure, some are concerned with their status and at balancing the types of ads/companies they agree to model for. However, in the end, it IS their job, and they want the contract.

I agree with what Sweets said also, although..........
Basing on the same Models Model for a living statement I come up with that money, though being one of the first arguements to participate in a certain project, is not the only one, just like with any other job. You would take a lot of things into consideration such as the long-term effects it will make on your career as well as the changes it will make on your everyday life (for ex. having to spend extra hours in the office for a person with a regular job or getting recognised in the streets for a model in a big commercial compaign) as well as many other things and, yes, whether that's something you actually want to do, to some extent, also. Having said that, I don't agree with that money is always where it must be at.

That is not to say that I think some girls in the big compaigns shouldn't have done them, it is obviously, their job and their life, that is not even to say that I started to like most of them any less because of that, that is just to say that money is not the only thing to consider, excatly because modeling is the same job as any other.


Although, yeah, I must admit that I did lose some interest in my fave Nati Vodianova after I started seeing her on every next page in this awful L'ORIAL ad.

 

[sepia]

I don't think commercial work is selling out. It's legitimate modeling, it's money, and it's an opportunity for fame. Some models have to fit that niche, or else who would sell us products?

Kate Moss sold out to sell Calvin Klein? Cindy sold out to sell soda? That's part of what made them famous.

 

[AtticusVlad]

I don't think commercial work is selling out. It's legitimate modeling, it's money, and it's an opportunity for fame. Some models have to fit that niche, or else who would sell us products?

Kate Moss sold out to sell Calvin Klein? Cindy sold out to sell soda? That's part of what made them famous.

Abosolutely

 

[fashionkitten7]

The thing I don't really get is why an opportunity for fame is always thought of as a very strong arguement... First of all, way not all people want to be famous and this includes models. Second, being famous seriously cuts off from the possible range of works. And if the one is not willing to limit themselves, they are most likely not willing to become famous and therefore have to be careful not to get overdone.

 

[modelgig]

At the end of the day, it's the amount of money the model has made, to make herself comfortable after she stops modeling that matters. Models are like a dime, a dozen these days... They come and go and only very few, have staying power that last close to 10 years.... That's the irony in this industry.

 

[model_mom]

One thing I can't understand about this business is the fact that once your agency has made up their mind that you are high fashion, they won't let you go near a commercial job. You're sitting there waiting for your ship to come in but in the mean time your wallet is running dry and you are falling in debt to your agency(just where they want you). Even after your ship doesn't come in they would rather you fade back into the woodwork than to let you turn commercial. What the hell is that all about?

 

[Sweets]

another point that hasnt even really came up (model mom kinda assessed it ^^) is that models don't CHOOSE their work. You think some high fashion model is going to tell her booker that she refuses to go to the Loreal casting because she doesnt want to sell out? She would be dropped so quickly..