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Posts from the ‘Cosmetic Campaigns’ Category

Jan 29

Philosophy skin care
18 Comments

LCP’s as a Philosophy

Philosophy Skin Care Update!

Hannah: ’Olya has always been a little disturbed by the fact that, until recently, I have always been fairly uncommitted to maintaining a regular skin-care routine. That was until the Traveling Stylista, Kimberley Horan recommended I try using the philosophy range (hope in a jar, purity and microdelivery mini peel pads). This is the only skin care range I have ever used that I can honestly say resulted in a visible improvement in the look of my skin and I’m totally hooked.

I was therefore totally disturbed to discover that Mecca in Sydney are no longer going to be carrying the Philosophy range. It has taken me this long to find a skin care brand that I can call my own and now I can’t find anywhere to buy it in Sydney. Sometimes life can be so unfair!’

Olya: ‘Don’t fret my dear, philosophy.com will ship it to you from the United States and they also have some great new products to try! My husband is purchasing them for me in NY as I write this! They have had brilliant reviews and I cant wait to try them.

PS. They can also be bought online in Europe from Sephora, or from QVC TV in the UK, however the selection is quite limited. Read more

Jan 13

Model Co
19 Comments

How emotional are you about EYELASHES?

So many mascara campaigns have a tendency to over promise and under-deliver. Even thought it won the Australian Beauty Award for most Innovative New Product in 2010, and made it onto HARPERS BAZAAR HOT 100 list, there has recently been a lot of chatter about the MODELco Fibrelash Extreme Lash Extension Kit. Let us say – believe the hype! If you are sceptic by nature, don’t believe us, just watch this demo video and see for your self or better still try it!!

Youtube:Modelco Fibrelash mascara Read more

Dec 1

The Napoleon Experience

Comments from our Facebook members:

Nov 21

12 Comments

Man up – Tell us what kind of man you are!

One of our valued readers requested we comment on Male Fragrances.  So here it is!

This fashion savvy heterosexual male (“not that there is anything wrong with it”) had difficulties relating to the models and celebrities in fragrance print ads. He found that images of Matthew McConaughey / The One with his shirt off and the naked picture of Marc Jacobs/ Bang where neither  aspirational or relatable.

Which made me question – How many men actually buy their own fragrances and how many male fragrances are marketed to women and gay men?

What adverts do you relate to and when was your last fragrance purchase? Who was it for?

Over the next few days I am going to post videos from top selling mens fragrances and later in the week comment on some of the print campaigns.

We look forward to your opinions!

Nov 14

YSL SHOCKING MASCARA
11 Comments

“To buy or not to buy?”…That’s always the question.

Hannah Brooks: ”In an age of digital marketing the process of actually buying a magazine can be perceived by some as a pretty low tech exercise. Despite radical changes in technology, Olya and I are just as much tragic “old school” magazine addicts as we are technology junkies”.

Olya Bell: ”Hannah, there is something magical about flicking through the pages of a new magazine, oh and you know it’s battery is not going to give up on you half way through the flight”.

Hannah Brooks: ”I find it fascinating and exciting that fashion marketing can exist in an environment where, in many ways print is still king! Each month we eagerly await the release of new print comapaigns…sad but true”.

Olya Bell: “I hope that we will inspire you to shamelessly get out your magazines, have a bit of a flick and then share your opinions on which ads you love and which brands you feel should immediately rethink their strategies or fire their brand managers and ad agencies”.

As we all buy them often - beauty products seemed like a good place to start.

In this regular post we will rate advertisements according our  2OPINIONATED criteria:

  • Perfection ★★★★★ - because as we all know you can’t beat perfection.Translation: Locate supplier and SHOP ASAP!
  • Phenomenal ★★★★- this ad was: visually appealing, creative, aligned with brands values, showcased the product and most importantly created a desire to purchase. Translation: Memorable and YES, its time to shop!
  • Palatable ★★★- this ad: might have caught our attention but was somewhat unsatisfying. Translation: If you see the product again or you have a specific need then you might just check it out.
  • Powerless ★ ★ - this ad: missed the point, was visually unappealing and contradicts the brands image. Translation: Memorable for all the wrong reasons, no need to shop here.
  • Pointless minus★- to be awarded to the brand whose advertising dollars were completely wasted. Translation: You either flicked right past the page or walked straight passed their product.

Nov 13

REVLON Colorburst
2 Comments

YSL, Chanel or Revlon ?

Here our thoughts on the following three print ads.…

YSL Shocking Mascara

Hannah Brooks:’I love, love, love this ad. It’s phenomenal for me on so many levels. Firstly, despite the fact I’m a 40-year-old woman I can still relate to this young model.Secondly, it’s all about the eyes and they look sensational (surely that’s what its all about for a mascara ad), the lashes alone are enough to make me rush out and immediately buy Shocking mascara.Thirdly, the text tells you just what you need to know and nothing else it also avoids the naff and overly technical product specifications that can often make you feel like you’re buying a pesticide than beauty product’. Verdict: PHENOMENAL ★★★★ YSL Shocking Mascara

Olya Bell: ‘I also love this ad and I instantly think of the gorgeous gold packaging that this product will arrive in! I recently purchased the product and even though my I wouldn’t call my lashes shocking I do enjoy this product. My only pet hate is using false or digital lashes to advertise mascara but YSL are not alone here. I guess its not a medical product!’ Verdict: PHENOMENAL ★★★★ YSL Shocking Mascara


Chanel – Perfection Lumiere Foundation

Hannah Brooks - ‘Much as it truly pains me to be critical of Chanel this ad misses the mark for me on a few levels. I especially take offence to  the tag line claims that “perfection has never been so simple”…please…much as French women make it look effortless we all know perfection takes lots of hard work.  I love the drama of the slick  pony tail, however the shadow on the image somewhat takes away from my ability to determine actually how flawless this fluid make up actually is. The composition of this ad (two pages) really doesn’t work for me. the product just looks a little plonked on the second page (interestingly I think the ad works slightly better as a single page ad).’ Verdict: PALATABLE ★★★ 

Olya Bell: ‘ I am mostly seeing this print advertisement in vertical format as an in store display poster both in Luxembourg and in France. I am not quite sure of what the iphone’s colour temperature setting was on Hannah’s image but the colours look way off base for me. I know this sometimes happens with print! Frustrating! Personally I remember this ad and other than the “perfection has never been so easy” heading I can relate to this airbrushed model! I love the lighting and mood of this image. The message, product and branding are clear and memorable’.Verdict: PALATABLE ★★★  PS – Here is the same image from Chanel’s Web Page.

Revlon – Colorburst Lipgloss

Olya Bell: ‘I am not a big Revlon fan so I can’t say that I am particularly objective in my comments. My good friend Marina loves Revlon products and has bought me several to try. The products have been fine the problem for me lies with the packaging. It feels dates and reminds me of my mothers lipsticks. This ad also takes me back and not in a good kind of way! 80′s with a dash of 70′s but in 2011? I am confused!’ Verdict:Powerless ★ ★ - this ad: missed the point and was visually unappealing.

Hannah Brooks - ‘In the interests of honest disclosure I  need to confess that I’m actually the type of consumer who buys make-up just as frequently from a pharmacy as I do from a make-up counter.  Given my purchasing behaviour I feel I can speak honestly as to why this ad can be classed as powerless.Firstly,  I am 40 years old and a big Jessica Alba fan – but who would want to buy a product that makes a 30-year-old woman look like a 40-year-old woman. Call me naive but I want a product that promises to do the reverse..Finally, the copy claims the product makes your lips 5 times more shiny than “patent leather”(I am guessing a man approved this copy)…what woman wants her lips compared to patent leather…ENOUGH SAID!!!

In the book Eve-olution, published in 2000,  Faith Popcorn devotes an entire chapter to how Revlon advertising misses the point and it would appear, 11 years later, that no one at Revlon listened to  her advice’. Verdict: Powerless ★ ★