Over the weekend, we received a note from a concerned reader who wanted to know what she could do to discourage the use of drug culture references/imagery in fashion advertisements. She specifically referred to the Sisley ad that Lauren post last week featuring two models snorting cocaine.I thought the question was provocative. So here goes: what can we really do to influence what we see in advertisements?
When it comes down to what sparks change in the fashion world, it all boils down to money. You can sign petitions and write letters until you turn blue in the face, but it won't make a bit of difference unless you can also affect company sales.
If you want to let companies like Sisley know that you do not approve of their cocaine ads, stop buying Sisley clothes and ask others to follow suit. Instead, spend money on companies that choose to run responsible advertising campaigns -- i.e. ads that sell clothes not drugs.