'Til Next Tuesday: Two Facepalms for Two Major Fashion Brands

Plus, posting on social while on vacation just got easier.

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November 27, 2018

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SPECIAL FEATURE: HIGH FIVES AND FACEPALMS
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is part of our monthly feature “High Fives and Facepalms,” where we’ll dive into a PSA or campaign that was released this month and whether it deserves a high five or a facepalm. Expect “High Fives and Facepalms” in ‘Til Next Tuesday the last week of every month!

TWO FACEPALMS FOR TWO MAJOR FASHION BRANDS
This month we’re giving out two facepalms for the price of one, both within the fashion industry. Dior recently released an ad campaign promoting its 2019 line inspired by escaramuza riders—a historic Mexican equestrian sport, which is exclusively for women. Consumers responded angrily on social media, accusing the campaign of appropriation as it did not feature a Mexican woman (Dior selected Jennifer Lawrence), and because the campaign was shot in California instead of Mexico.

Our second facepalm goes to Dolce and Gabbana, for the release of an ad depicting a “confused” Chinese woman trying to eat Italian food with chopsticks. The racist ad went viral on Chinese social media, and public furor caused D&G to cancel a major fashion show in Shanghai. The takeaway for both Dior and D&G is ultimately the same, and while we desperately wish we didn’t have to continue saying this in almost-2019, brands should never appropriate other cultures. All kinds of consumers should be able to see themselves represented in your brand—this is the new baseline for consumer engagement.

A GREENER WAY TO CROWDFUND
Kickstarter and the Environmental Defense Fund have announced a new partnership with the launch of Kickstarter’s Environmental Resource Center. The Center will provide Kickstarter creators with tips and tricks to make their initiatives more environmentally friendly, while also asking them to consider taking five optional environmental-related pledges before posting their initiative to the site. The pledges creators commit to, like “environmentally friendly factories” and “sustainable fulfillment and distribution”, will then be highlighted on the initiative’s crowdfunding page. This will also ensure that backers will be able to more easily support creators whose commitments align with their values. We’re thrilled Kickstarter is using its klout for good by encouraging creators, startups and other initiatives that use the site to think greener from Day 1.

EDUCATING FOR EQUAL WAGES
Secret is empowering women to get equal salaries with its “I’d Rather Get Paid” campaign. It’s no secret (we had to…) that women get paid 20% less than their male counterparts, and that’s not even getting into the pay disparity for women of color. We love Secret’s use of a variety of influencers known for speaking out against the gender pay gap in the campaign, from the well-known actress Sophia Bush to the co-founders of the career and salary network Ladies Get Paid. It shows consumers that Secret is targeting all kinds of women across industries, and is especially important when considering 30% of consumers are more likely to buy a product recommended by an influencer. And it's not just about an ad campaign, Secret has partnered with Ladies Get Paid to publish a toolkit to help women better negotiate their salaries, and will also host free workshops across the country to help women talk about wage inequality!

ICYMI*

It’s official, the 2018 midterm elections saw the highest youth voter turnout in 25 years!

Gap has committed to expanding its This Way Ahead program, which recruits and hires young people from underserved communities.

As temperatures drop with winter’s approach, an IKEA in Italy is protecting the stray dog population by allowing dogs to seek shelter in the store.

With over 200 million (!) players globally, Fortnite is testing a gifting feature that will allow players to give each other tools, skins, and weapons within the game.

Hotels in Switzerland are employing social media “sitters” who will take images, draft captions, and post on guests’ profiles… really.

*That's "In Case You Missed It."

Today's Quick Hit

Did you hear they did surgery on a grape?

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DoSomething Strategic (formerly TMI Strategy) is the data-driven consultancy arm of DoSomething.org. We help brands and organizations engage young people for positive social change.

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