Marketing Beauty Across Racial Lines (woman oggling content)

[Dr. Cheese]

I was checking out Youtube, and I saw this clip of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, Oluchi. I looked at her and though she was quite cute, but it really struck me that she has a figure that really brings to mind the proportions usually associated with white standards of beauty. In other words, she is pretty thin, ve

ry full breasted, and without a whole lot of junk in her trunk. I was also struck by the fact she is likely wearing a wig or at least a weave.

I have noticed that even in Black publications, editors shy away from pretty Black women showing their actual hair. By actual, I don't necessarily mean wearing an afro or braids, I just mean their actual hair in any style. Being a man, I honestly don't think that the average man of any race, looking at a cute girl with a killer rack or nice can, is going to be that worried about whether or not her hair blows in the wind.

I think the world is more ready to accept diversity in appearance, and beauty than commercial types realize.

Here is the link for Oluchi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3w9OjNZ0Oo

[skaliwag66]

You hardly see any really dark black women on t.v. commercials.

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse....u=stock_photos

check out number 2

"She should be dark enough to score that hip diversity dollar, but not so dark as to scare away that heartland racist dollar."

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by skaliwag66

You hardly see any really dark black women on t.v. commercials.

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse....u=stock_photos

check out number 2

"She should be dark enough to score that hip diversity dollar, but not so dark as to scare away that heartland racist dollar."

That is very true. I have lived long to seen a period, from the late sixties, until the eighties, when darker female models got some work. Since the 1990's, that whole "black, get back" mentality seems to have resurfaced among advertisers.

[baba]

I don't. To lay it right out there, I think most of the WORLD is very racist. Granted, these views aren't as strong where looking at women are concerned, but if I was in marketing for a western magazine I wouldn't take the leap right now.

On the other hand, Benetton stepped out pretty hard in the 80's...not sure if that was after their popularity or a chance they took once the brand was popular.

[jwbassman]

Originally Posted by skaliwag66

You hardly see any really dark black women on t.v. commercials.

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse....u=stock_photos

check out number 2

"She should be dark enough to score that hip diversity dollar, but not so dark as to scare away that heartland racist dollar."

hot woman is a hot woman no matter what color her skin is.....Drool.

[Dr. Cheese]

I will also note that one of my daughters is a bit lighter than I am, while one is very fair skinned with fairly straight hair. I don't how many times, I have heard people say my little one is "so pretty," only to sheepishly look at older, and darker daughter and say "she is pretty too."

[bongomania]

The hair comments reminded me of a black woman I dated for a bit who spent tons of money and time on straightening her hair with all kinds of chemicals and tools and salon visits. One time I asked her why she didn't just let her hair grow out naturally, and she said "what, you mean like an afro? Oh God no!"

[FL Knifemaker]

Without sounding racist, I find that most black womens hair is not attractive, as is. My daughter works at a hair salon that works with ALL hair and employs all races. It's common knowledge among ALL the staff that black women can have the worst bad hair days of any race!! They also require the most time and effort to fix it.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

Without sounding racist, I find that most black womens hair is not attractive, as is. My daughter works at a hair salon that works with ALL hair and employs all races. It's common knowledge among ALL the staff that black women can have the worst bad hair days of any race!!

That's cool. No one is obligated to find another type of person attractive, however, Black women only have bad hair days because they are forever feeling that they need to have hair that is totally unlike the hair God gave them.

[Vince S.]

White standard of beauty.

That's all I have to say about that.

[Armueller2001]

I must say that I'd prefer a girl to look like that than to have a big McDonalds booty spilling over the sides of a chair and hair you can't run your fingers through... might just be personal preference but it might be that most guys feel that way as well and thats why they're focusing on that in the media.

On second thought I do find Vida Guerra's massive caboose very attractive, but she does have a very small waist to match the big hips and also doesn't have any cottage cheese going on.

[FL Knifemaker]

As far as the swimsuit models.........I don't think race matters as long as they look good in the swimsuits. Big bootilicious bubble butts, belly rolls and designer bikinis don't work, at least on magazine covers

[mvw356]

yeah, this is a weird phenomenon.

my ex who was black spent a lot of time/money changing her hair from the natural afro type of situation to some real funky straightish style. it looked good i must admit, but let's face it, black people will never have the same hair as white people. i do agree with cheese, paler shades of black seem to be preferred to darker shades of black. it's the same with white people though. really pale one's are rarely considered beautiful, regardless of how beautiful they actually are.


i'm conviced that this is all due to some remnants of full blown racism. the average consumer (white i suppose) can't relate to things that are uncommon or not like them. even though some black models might be used for advertising purposes, the product that they advertise for has to predominantly fit and be liked by white people. most stupid white girls/guys can't relate to black people. it would require thinking and a lot of people are not prepared to do that.

something else i noticed is that black artists are very often 'whitened' by makeup and what not when they appear on TV, video's. alicia keys comes to mind, she sometimes looks white (with a bit of tan)

[MakiSupaStar]

I find a women's natural hair much more attractive than a weave. I've dated a few black girls, and one of them had a weave when I met her. Every now and then she would need to go and have it done because she didn't like that her natural hair would start growing through at the roots. Finally, I convinced her to dump the weave and just go with her natural hair. She looked so friggin' hot that way. I loved it. She liked that I could pull her hair when we're having sex too. She grew it into a kind of seventies soul-fro and I swear she could have modeled.

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

That is very true. I have lived long to seen a period, from the late sixties, until the eighties, when darker female models got some work. Since the 1990's, that whole "black, get back" mentality seems to have resurfaced among advertisers.

Many advertisers seem to be going more towards "uni-race" models: light-skinned blacks, darker skinned whites and mixed race individuals.

[Phalex]

I don't know, but thank you for the link Dr. Cheese! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!

[SoComSurfing]

Originally Posted by Phalex

I don't know, but thank you for the link Dr. Cheese! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!

+1. It's Friday afternoon. Honestly, I've already turned my brain off. I don't want to think, I just want to oggle (sp?) the pretty lady.

[FL Knifemaker]

I'd prefer a high performance model

[MakiSupaStar]

Oluchi is smoking hot by any standard.

[marcray]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I was checking out Youtube, and I saw this clip of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, Oluchi. I looked at her and though she was quite cute, but it really struck me that she has a figure that really brings to mind the proportions usually associated with white standards of beauty. In other words, she is pretty thin, very full breasted, and without a whole lot of junk in her trunk. I was also struck by the fact she is likely wearing a wig or at least a weave.

she's 27 and 6 foot 2". She'd need the appetite of a whale to have junk in the trunk. For me to understand this correctly, what exactly is the black standard of beauty? And does it correlate exactly with an American black male's/woman's standard of beauty? Just thinkin' and askin'.