Photoshoped and smooth bodies, resplendent smiles, perfect images on glossy paper… For decades, advertising has operated according to the same logic: selling dreams to consumers, sometimes to consumers, in an attempt to tip the scales at the time of passage in checkout. Despite brands’ efforts to be more diverse and inclusive in their ads, only 17% of internet users feel represented in advertising, according to We Are Social’s Digital Report 2022.
Historically, the aim of advertising is to attract the consumer and make him identify with the products represented. ” It has been proven that some characters will attract more attention, such as baby traits, youth traits, young animals. Human beings will be more attracted to physically attractive faces and bodies ” analyzes Sylvie Borau, teacher-researcher at TBS Education and specialized in women and gender in marketing. By presenting slim and beautiful bodies, advertisers send a clear message: buying this or that product also guarantees beauty and prosperity. ” You have to go to information very quickly, since at the cognitive level, the brain will process it very quickly. adds Sylvie Borau.
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However, in recent years, many brands are shaking up the rules of the game, trying to present other types of bodies, models, representations in their communication. As for advertising agencies, we are well aware of what is at stake. ” We are increasingly singled out: we have to look ourselves in the face and see our usefulness as advertisers, realize our influence explains Valérie Richard, CSR manager at BETC. ” It’s up to us to be interesting enough to talk about and seduce people, to be impactful, with this desire to touch society and the world. adds Matthieu Elkaim, President and Creative Director of Ogilvy.
Especially since consumers are keeping an eye out: with the emergence and democratization of social networks, Internet users do not hesitate to display and point out bad practices, from degrading and stereotyped advertisements to hazardous messages. For a large part of the younger generation, consumption is now a political act, and many refuse to give a penny to brands that display positions contrary to their values.
A growing concern of brands
In 2004, the Dove brand launched its “Real Beauty” campaign, presenting female bodies different from those usually represented. A real turning point for many brands, which are engulfed, both in form and in speech, in more diversity and inclusion. The #MeToo movement, in 2017, also kicked in the anthill, with younger generations wanting a less stereotypical image of women. ” There was an awareness thanks to social networks, to hashtags which were amplified, taken up by the media. Advertisers said they had to get in tune develops Valérie Richard.
Poster used by Dove in its Real Beauty campaign. Picture: Dove.
Finally, the development of influence and its platforms such as Instagram or YouTube have brought other models to the fore, who speak more to younger people. ” There was too big a gap between self-staging on Instagram and ads where brands continued to sell an ideal image adds Sylvie Borau. Now, many brands, such as Adidas with YouTuber Léna Situations, highlight influencers… in order to reach their community.
” It is a necessary movement: we cannot claim to reflect society without representing the greatest number explains Matthieu Elkaim of Ogilvy. Stereotyped representations of women in the kitchen, degrading images towards a certain ethnic or religious community… If all this can create bad buzz on social networks, the profession is also regulated by the ARPP (Authority for Professional Regulation of Advertising), which aims to establish rules for the entire sector. Stéphane Martin, its managing director, tells us that the authority has a rule of image and respect for the person, regularly updated. ” It is a transversal rule to cover all the issues as soon as the advertisement represents a person. Of course, nothing degrading, humiliating, demeaning… » he develops.
According to Stéphane Martin, who has seen advertising campaigns parade for years, ” the brands are voluntary and are doing more and more, in a model that must take mental representations into account. It’s a pretty subtle balance. “. Beyond representations in form, more and more brands insist on a virtuous discourse, both in terms of ecology and the working conditions of employees. ” A major movement has taken place: the alignment of brands with the values and commitments of the company that owns them. People no longer buy a product, but a way of making it and well-treated employees analyzes Matthieu Elkaim. Thus, many ready-to-wear brands such as Nike, Gap or Zara have been accused of participating in the genocide of the Uyghurs in China… and boycotted.
Beware of socialwashing
Beyond the rules laid down by the ARPP, the organization has a multifaceted control dimension. ” For almost 20 years, we have had a record that is made on thousands of advertisements each year. When a breach of the rule is observed, the advertiser is asked to react explains Stéphane Martin. An independent jury of advertising ethics can also be seized and issue public opinions to question the brands. Especially since the safeguards of the profession are added to the laws. Thus, in 2017, the statement “ retouched photograph » is mandatory on all negatives for commercial use, « when the physical appearance of the models has been modified by image processing software, to refine or thicken their silhouette “. A step forward for more authenticity… but which has not had much effect according to Sylvie Borau, who has studied the impact of this mention on consumers. ” They will still identify and compare themselves, and this can have consequences on self-esteem she explains. A sword in the water ?
New consumption models and the political and social aspirations of younger generations are forcing advertisers to renew themselves. Even if it means holding a discourse far from the reality of their values: this is what is called socialwashing, which can be declined in its ecological (greenwashing) or feminist (pinkwashing) version. ” It’s an ethical and managerial dilemma: if you know that an ideal female model sells more, it’s complicated. It’s good for branding, but is it good for sales? asks Sylvie Borau. Especially since social networks and Internet users do not hesitate to push brands that use certain causes to sell.
On the side of the agencies, it is a question of taking its responsibilities. ” It must be sincere, pay attention to the values of the brand, have a coherent discourse, internally and externally explains Valérie Richard to BETC. Same echo on the side of Ogilvy: “ We can cheat less and less: it is a matter of seriousness, of authenticity adds Matthieu Elkaim. Humility, consistency, transparency, proportionality: cardinal values so that advertisers can venture into more virtuous communication, according to Sophie Roosen, brand and impact director of the Union des marques, a professional association which brings together 240 companies from all sectors of the world. ‘activity. ” We need this consistency more and more, and not all companies can take on all the subjects. You have to have the humility to look internally at how you can communicate intelligently she adds. Otherwise, brands see the risk of creating bad buzz.
Training, charters, programs: brands are trying to show their credentials
To fight against its biases, advertising puts the means. ” We have set up training courses on diversity and inclusion in advertising, which raise awareness of representations and stereotypes advances Valérie Richard at BETC. Within Ogilvy, a diversity and inclusion committee has been set up to work on issues of equality, disability and family. ” We will not be able to reflect diversity in an environment that is not itself diversified. There are lots of little things that are part of everyday life to break down biases, to ensure that in our way of working, we talk about lots of things. The challenge is that all this is not gimmicky adds Matthieu Elkaim.
Within the Union des Marques, a responsible communication program, called FAIRe, has brought together around forty brands since 2018 around the subjects of sustainable development and a more inclusive representation of society. The program thus provides definitions and checklists of good practices for brands. ” Asking questions is already finding levers for action summarizes Sophie Roosen, brand and impact director. The professional association has also awarded a prize, since 2019, to the best communication campaigns that fight against stereotypes and for inclusion. ” What we see more and more is that brands are seizing the subject and want to be recognized for it adds Sophie Roosen. Among the winners is Gillette’s recent “Masculine Perfection” campaign, showcasing different types of masculinities, from gay couples to trans men.
Visual used as part of the Gillette campaign, masculine perfection. Picture: Gillette.
However, despite all these efforts, the feeling of adhesion and identification with advertisements remains weak for Internet users: only 17% of them feel represented by advertising, as indicated by the Digital Report 2022 of We Are Social . A figure that does not surprise Sylvie Borau: ” in France, there is still almost no representation of people of North African origin, or of the elderly “. Disability or LGBT identities are also subjects subcontracted by advertisers. Similarly, despite the efforts made by the fashion and cosmetics industry, few women manage to identify with advertisements.
” I think we are starting from very far, and that there is a lot of catching up to do. In fact, it takes a little time in terms of conviction and realization analyzes Sophie Roosen. Same echo at BETC: “ These are subjects that are taken seriously by brands, but they don’t want to move too fast, it has to be sincere advances Valérie Richard. Beyond the good brand image, the latter must combine responsibility and business: going too far from consumers would mean, in the long term, selling less.