The Thin Line Between Ad and Editorial?

Aug 21, 2008 @ 10:52am

raquels fendi ankle boots.jpg To: tips@Fashionista.com

From: boredintern@pretentiouslitmag.com

Hey guys and gals at Fashionista,

With all this talk over the relationship between magazines and advertisers, especially in the context of Bazaar and Estee Lauder with their new perfume, InStyle is lacking in discretion, too. You guys might want to take a look at the most recent issue with Rihanna.

There's the Fendi ad with Raquel standing on a block, wearing ankle boots. Those SAME boots are then featured in an article on how to wear the same piece three times, or something like that. Pretty silly to style them only a few pages apart from an ad, leaving readers to think, "didn't I just see those?"

Just call me boredintern@pretentiouslitmag or something.

raquel in fendi ad ankle boots.jpg

For more...

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 11:12AM

Sort of like Fashionista's obnoxious "advertorials" that are indistinguishable from content? Haven't seen many lately though--hope you rethought it. Definitely don't mind banner ads (profit is important), but those were awful.

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 11:26AM

I've noticed also that it seems that designers are paying off magazines to repeatedly feature their things in layouts. I noticed in Bazaar that the lower price shoes of Sam Edleman were shown over and over...The same thing I noticed with Coach in a recent Vogue, because usually they rarely show Coach products...but their clutches were shown a few times.

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 11:28AM

i agree, it looks like the advertorials wre from high school art class, these girls better not get paid for their "child like" content. Need more writers on fashionista and less obnoxious advertorials.

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 12:03PM

Is this anything like the gratuitous promotion of Nylon knowing fully well that Faran is the digital director there?

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 12:30PM

What?

Fashion is a business? I am shocked!

posted by fauvism3

Aug 21, 2008 12:38PM

Haha #5. I grabbed my mom's Instyle and looked for the article. It's one thing if Vogue features items from YSL but not the SAME items featured in ads. Instyle literally uses the same shoes in a spread after the are featured a few pages earlier in a close up ad...

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 1:10PM

playing favourites? quelle surprise!

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 1:22PM

This is actually surprising to you??!?!

I only expect this to occur more and more frequently now that the economy is bust, and more magazines are seeing a decrease in circulation.

Anyone who thinks magazines feature the majority of the products they do because they "think they are so great" is delusional. I've seen some pretty shady things go on places I've worked--switching the credited brand of an item to please advertisers (ex: calling a plain black shirt one designer wen it's really like, Hanes!), companies gifting large amounts of cosmetics to get featured,etc... I'll never read magazines the same way again.

posted by JennyJenny

Aug 21, 2008 2:02PM

Yes, the fact is that to keep getting our fix of the glossies, we're going to have to be much more careful readers - and see through the "editorial" pieces that are basically advertorial. Guest 1:22 is right - in tough times the magazines become very beholden to their advertisers. The problem is, once one title caves, the others practically have to follow suit.
I'm not sure what to make of ELLE's September spread, "A Perfect Stranger," entirely devoted to Armani. It was beautifully done and had a premise (shot in Giorgio Armani's hometown), but I couldn't help but think they were appeasing the brand or buttering it up...

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 2:35PM

I know what happens. Great companies pay magazines or (worseeee!) the fashioneditors work as consultant helping in creating the campaign for a certain product. Then they place it in their mag. Also franca sozzani (Vogue italy) has done it. Watch "Report" (Rai 3 - Italy): it has done a wonderful report on this issue. (unf, it is in italian!)

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 2:49PM

i agree with JennyJenny and guest above her. it's inevitable. the ad world and the edit world are hopping into bed together more and more and we'll just have to be more observant readers.

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 3:48PM

is InStyle even a fashion magazine? It's like people magazine with some clothes for boring young moms...aka, they don't care about fendi, bring on the tory!!

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 4:26PM

That's why I don't buy american magazines, unless the subscription is free or below $10 per year, ie: Elle & Bazaar! (advertisers & investors don't like that practice either!)

This practice has been going on for quite some time. Only now it's become more obvious! Allure, Vogue, etc, always changes the credits to accommodate their advertisers.

If you don't like it, don't buy the publication, or send them an email that your over it and will stop buying if they keep it up (trust me, they read your letters!!)

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 4:29PM

inStyle thinks its a fashion magazine, but it's not! It's a celebrity lifestyle rag. (Just like that bitchy cowboy boot wearin queen at inStyle thinks she's a fashion editor, but she's not!!)

posted by guest

Aug 21, 2008 6:37PM

number 5 won this topic.