24 year old Brisbane resident Courtney Deagon has started a petition to Napoleon Perdis regarding their latest ad campaign.
In the petition Courtney explains:
On the morning of Thursday 21st January I received a regular email from one of my subscriptions, Napoleon Perdis Cosmetics. The subject title read, "Unleash your inner sex-kitten".
Reading the email I found more references to "quickies", "steamy" and "sexy" (with a corresponding picture) with regards to Valentines' Day makeup applications. It's bad enough that we live in an overly sex-obsessed culture, displaying semi-pornographic imagery in advertisements, determined to convince everyone that women are only sexual beings; resulting in unrealistic expectations placed upon them. This leads to boys and, eventually, men expecting women to look and be sexual in ways that are just unrealistic.
I'm all for people looking and feeling fabulous - but this is a cosmetics brand adored and revered by girls as young as pre-teen (think 8-12), and they definitely should NOT be receiving emails encouraging 'sexiness'. They are still technically children for goodness' sake.
Click to sign Courtney's petition now
This is totally inappropriate language and visualisation for young and impressionable girls to be reading into. Girls should not have to grow up expecting to have to be sexy all the time in order to feel beautiful and accepted by society. There is a big difference in feeling beautiful and feeling sexy - and we should encourage girls toward the former, not the latter.
I would like to see this kind of sex-obsessed imagery and language removed from cosmetic companies whose audiences include young girls/women. The world already exploits the sexualisation of women to make bucks; let's be the start of changing that.
Contact Napoleon perdis:
Phone: 1300 625 387
This image has also appeared recently on their Facebook and Instagram pages.
One facebook user commented:
"How weird is this?! I use mine on my face"
And this on their Instagram some time ago:
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I find your take on Napoleon Perdis’ advertisements and EDM’s quite interesting. I too am a beauty specialist and am exposed to countless beauty brand advertisements, and am also a subscriber to the Napoleon Perdis newsletter and mailing list.
You are entitled to your own personal opinion, however in my opinion your perspective on these ads and their messaging is quite misleading. Having received the same email from Napoleon Perdis I did not see any indication that this was aimed towards 8-12 year old girls. The amount of sexiness displayed within the email, its pictures and the copy lies in the eyes of the beholder.
I too consider myself an advocate for women’s rights and truly believe this has been blown way out of proportion. Sure, you may not feel comfortable receiving an email that’s tongue in cheek with its marketing and wording, but to go to the extent of implying it’s a promotion of sex to minors is a little over the top.
Given your position on the matter was so strong I took it upon myself to look into your public social media profiles. Your LinkedIn profile states you work for a major beauty company, so you would most likely be aware that revealing a little skin, sultry looks and cheeky innuendos were not discovered or first marketed by Napoleon Perdis. Pictured below is a mere example of what your current employer uses within their ad campaigns.
1. http://i.huffpost.com/gen/717460/thumbs/m-NATALIE-PORTMAN-620×413c.jpg?6
2. http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s—z—z4DIW—/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/17wrqpumv9jpxjpg.jpg
3. http://media26.onsugar.com/files/2011/06/24/4/342/3428283/a08f6ccd87ad52a3_dioskin-nude.jpg
Upon further discovery, your LinkedIn listed your previous association with the company, and I believe this petition is simply a poor cry for attention from a disgruntled former associate of Napoleon Perdis. A personal attack if you would.
Its inaccurate, misleading and narrow minded. Most of all it’s a strike towards all women who feel comfortable with portraying themselves as sexual beings. Had the thought crossed your mind that women want to be sexy and feel sexy for themselves, and not for a man? Had you taken a closer look at the ad you would have seen a man being objectified and not the women you are so adamant on defending. But by all means, Courtney continue to preach “all for people looking and feeling fabulous”…