Girlfriend relaunches minus catwalk fashion pics
PacMags’ teen title Girlfriend will this week relaunch with a body image policy that includes ditching catwalk images of models and tighter rules on use of Photoshop.
The announcement:
Monday 26th July 2010: Pacific Magazines’ Girlfriend magazine today announced a re-launch, with a comprehensive redesign incorporating a new masthead, layouts and fonts, a new cover-mount strategy, fresh sections and a revised body image policy.
For over four years, Girlfriend has been committed to a strict body image policy, covering everything from the selection of models published within the magazine to retouching guidelines.
A recent Girlfriend study* found only 18% of readers were happy with the way they looked, less then half describe themselves as beautiful and a third of readers still felt fat or self-conscious when viewing unhealthy catwalk models. To address this issue, Girlfriend has extended the existing body image policy to include:
– The removal of images of models modelling catwalk (runway) from the pages of Girlfriend
– Banning of photo-shopping of body shape, size, hair colour or permanent marks (moles, freckles, scars, lines, tattoos)
– An ongoing commitment to using more real girls as models
– The promotion of positive role models and banning of celebrities who readers’ identify as having poor bad body image
In addition to the editorial policy changes, the August issue offers a special silver ‘I Am Beautiful’ or ‘I Am Strong’ necklace, to coincide with the ‘I Am Beautiful’ body image campaign. From the August issue, each edition of Girlfriend will include a cover-mounted gift which correlates to the targeted themes and messages from within the magazine.
Sarah Cornish, editor, Girlfriend, comments “The youth market has always valued innovation, and we’re excited to deliver Girlfriend readers a fresh, creative product which, more than ever, offers greater editorial substance and real understanding of the teen issues of today.”
The fresh new edition of Girlfriend will go on sale on Wednesday, 28 July, 2010.
Source: Pacific Magazines press release
Trailblazers in their category and also a great, positive PR strategy by Pacific. Has made me think of the Girlfriend brand in an entirely new way. Outstanding.
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I agree with Nick, great to see Girlfriend acting as a positive role ‘model’ for very impressionable young woman. Hopefully others will take heed and help improve better body image campaigns. You go Girlfriend!
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This set of policies looks great at a first glance, but what about policing of overseas, already airbrushed content of celebs? Will that be used?
Also, what are the policies regarding diet/exercise/nutrition articles? Are there going to be policies extended to the advertisers in the magazine to ensure that pictures aren’t overly retouched?
http://runwayrevolution – putting fashion before size
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