Research Book

To what extend does a more realistic model influence

the desirability of the product?

Querine van den Hoek

500664040
International Fashion & Management
Sander Schellens & Karen Bosch
June 13th, 2016
1

Querine@vandenhoek.org

Disclaimer:
1.

This report, as part of the graduation project aimed at attaining the BA title from the
Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, has been written and/or compiled solely by me.

2.

This project report (or any amended form of it) has never before been submitted by me or
anyone else in the framework of a learning assignment aimed at the attainment of a certificate
or degree, within the AMFI programme or elsewhere.

3.

The work that was necessary for the realisation of this project was performed entirely by me.
All the data that have been collected are original.

4.

All quotes from other sources are recognisable in the report by quotation marks and the
sources of all my information have specifically been indicated.

Date :
Place :
Name :

June 12th, 2016

Rotterdam
Querine van den Hoek

Signature

___________________________________

Preface

Preface
My passion for this subject came to be at my former place of employment at
Hunkemller where I became interested in customer demands versus brand
marketing strategy. I first believed that we had reached the era where customer
demands was of the highest priority for brands in order to remain competititive
in difficult financial times. To my surprise, the reasons for ignoring these
demands for so long comes from a place of fear or hesitation.
With my research project I do not only want to inspire commercial brands to
change their ways, but also have an effect on society where people become
more actively aware of marketing methods and the influence they could have
on the media. I believe no size, ethnicity or other minority should be
discriminated against and that there should be a broader representation of all
women in the media, but the only way to make this happen is to unite as
consumers and demand action.
This research project would not have come to be without the support of my
loving boyfriend Victor Blanken who has helped me trying to navigate the
statistical program SPSS and altering graphs in the middle of the night. His faith
and support helped me to finish this graduation project in time.
Furthermore, I would like to thank my project coaches Sander Schellens and
Karen Bosch for their guidance and their flexibility. They have had faith in my
project from the start and their clear feedback resulted in a better
conclusion.
Finally, I want to thank my family and friends for their unconditional faith in me
with a honorable mention for my roommate and friend Iris Jellema, who has
read all my work and helped me to improve it for many times.
The future is about to begin..

Querine van den Hoek

10th of June, 2016
Rotterdam

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Executive Summary

Executive Summary
There is a lot of debate among brands and consumers on the most effective way to sell
product with regard to a models clothing size in advertisements. While consumers demand
a more average representation of society in stead of exclusively ultra-thin fashion models,
brands question the effectivity of fuller models and are afraid of excluding smaller sized
customers. This research focusses on the discussion on this topic and explores to what extend
a models size has an effect on the performance of a product. What is the best way to
advertise a product for your specific target group?
Trough literature research and a consumer survey, three aspects of the discussion have been
investigated. First, the evolution of human aesthetics is discussed to create a better
understanding of past and current beauty ideals. This to determine whether the image put
forward by the fashion industry is in line with current beauty ideals and whether the consumer
is demanding representation in line with these ideals or an average representation of todays
society.
Secondly, the Brands perspective on the discussion is investigated. The reasons for the use
of skinny models are compared with statements of professionals who believe fuller models
would improve product performance. Three industry professionals have been interviewed to
learn more about the motivation for a brand to select a certain type of model. This discussion
also discusses the effectivity of legislation regarding a ban of skinny models as well as
previous research projects from industry professionals who have looked in to the matter of
size.
Because the outcomes of these researches have been utterly contradicting, for this research a
new survey was set up in order to investigate the consumer perspective on the topic of model
clothing sizes. The survey is completed with opinions and researches into consumer demands
and preferences in order to create a better customer understanding. The results of the survey
performed among 140 women from Dutch, Belgian and German nationality are translated into
target group specific marketing advices for brands willing to improve their marketing strategy.
The advices help brands understand the most effective way of communication with their
consumer through their models and to get a better understanding of the importance of
relatability to their consumer.
This research project is different to previous researches because this is the first time
consumers have been clearly divided in age and size groups in order to get a better
understanding of differences in preferences for different consumers. The advices are easily
applicable and highly likely to increase product performance for a commercial fashion brand
that operates in the Dutch, German and Belgian market.

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Table of
Contents
1.0
Rationale 07
2.0

Evolution of Human Aesthetics

09

3.0 The Brands Perspective

4.0 The Consumers Perspective

12
16

5.0
Conclusion 20
6.0
Bibliography 23

Rationale
In October 2014, lingerie brand Victorias Secret received global backlash after releasing an
in-store and online campaign for the body bra. The ad featured a selection of impossibly thin,
similarly built super models, while featuring the tag The Perfect Body. The campaign went viral on
social media and a petition calling for Victorias Secret to amend the irresponsible marketing for their
range was signed by over 27.000 women (Ciambriello, 2014). Cracked under the pressure, the brand
has since changed the slogan of lingerie campaign in question to read a body for every body.
This occurrence is just one in a series of events where fashion brands have been called out for
promoting unrealistic and unhealthy standards of beauty (eg. Topping, 2015). Even though body
ideals have been unrealistic mostly since the 1800s, the trends over the past few decades have
seemed to become more inaccessible for the average woman (Tunell, 2015). And whilst the fashion
industry has always been notorious for promoting the latest trends in physical idealism, they have
failed, in general, to move past the 1990s when models like Kate Moss took standards of extreme
thinness to a higher level (StyleCaster, 2010).
Since my personal employment at Hunkemller lingerie I have started to look at online platforms to
better understand consumer behavior, needs and demands. I have noticed that consumers are taking
to social media to demand versatility in product advertising. They claim to feel excluded and put down
for their size, because they can simply not live up to the unhealthy standards set by the industry (Barry,
2012). The average model seen on the runway and in campaigns is a size zero or 30 or 32, whilst the
average clothing size for Dutch, Belgian and German women is clothing size 42 (Gemiddeldgezien.
nl, 2015). Customers are asking for models representative of the target group, so they would know if
garments would look good on them and also to stop the promoting of unhealthy body ideals.
Some brands have responded to these demands with great flair (Ciambriello, 2014), but most fashion
brands have decided to stick by unusually tall and childishly thin and slender models for selling their
product and promoting their brand. Because even though consumer might say they would like to see
more realistic models in advertorials, would they actually be more keen to buy the product advertised?
There is a lot of discussion about this and there are questions to be raised regarding traditional
marketing approaches most of the fashion industry is holding on to. Is there a possibility that more
realistic models have a positive effect on the desirability of a product? Or might consumers tag on to a
trend of advocating body positivity, without actually knowing what they want? There are multiple
studies performed on what the customer would like to see most, but the models clothing size in
relation to the desirability is yet to be clearly portrayed (EenVandaag, 2015).
The broader relevance of this topic is that there are more factors involved than just product sales and
brand image. Should the fashion industry mirror the spirit of todays society and advocate
healthy body ideals for women? Body positivity is an important issue in todays society where 6 out of
10 young girls are unhappy with the way they look (Doveselfesteem.co.uk, 2016). If the fashion industry would change their ways in order to increase product sales, they could not only meet customer
demands but also have an effect on todays society.
Aim & Product
The main aim of this research is to portray the effect a models clothing size has in relation to the
desirability of the product for specific groups of consumers. It would be commercially valuable for
brands to know what their customer responds best to and to understand how their selection of models
communicates with their target group. This research focusses specifically on fashion brands operating
in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.

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Rationale
The reason for this is that the notion of beauty is different in every part of the world, and to be able
to give a clear and easily applicable advise for brands, countries with similar beauty ideals have been
selected. The term realistic refers to a realistic reflection of todays society, in this case a model with
clothing size 40 - 42. This research will also focus on the meaning of the term realistic to the consumer, whether they see realistic as a reflection of todays society or an image that is closer to ruling body
idealism.
The product to be delivered by the end of this period will be an advise targeted at brands who are
interested in changing their marketing strategy to best fit their customers demands.The advice will
summarize the results of the research and present them in a coherent and structured way that is easily
applied to brands targeting different age or customer groups.
Questions & Methodology
For this research, there are different perspectives to be taken into account, in order to understand
This research report is build up out of a main research question and three sub questions. The main research question of this report is To what extend does a more realistic model influence the desirability of
the product advertised. The following paragraphs will state the sub questions in order of appearance
and the methodology chosen to be able to answer them.
1. How have human aesthetics developed over the last decades and what are they today?
The fashion industry has always been closely linked to the evolution of human aesthetics and influenced
womens beauty ideals for ages. In order to illustrate how the use and look of models has changed over
time and how body ideals have become as they are now, the research for this sub questions focusses
on literature research, put together with the help of Professor Piet van Wieringen of the Vrije
Universiteit Amsterdam.
2. Why do brands choose to advertise their product on a certain type of model?
In order to find out the motivation for brands to base decisions on, a closer look needs to be taken
towards the role of a model when it comes to advertising and brand display, from a brands
perspective. By interviewing representatives of a variety of brands which choose different kinds of
models for their advertisements and e-commerce, a broader perspective will be provided on the
decision-making process within these brands. This research will be broadened by using online
sources and comparative research to create a model brands usually go for. Hoping to answer why
brands choose for a certain type of model, the research will investigate possible explanations for the
situation as it currently is and how these brands feel about the customer demand for versatility.
3. What are consumers demanding when it comes to models used in advertising and campaigns?
-
What does the consumer define as realistic?
-
What would the customer like to see?
-
Does the size of the model affect her desire for the product once the model becomes more

average, and possibly easier to relate to?
Defining a beautiful or realistic woman has always been a contentious puzzle, and will forever remain
to be that way, so therefore it is important to see what the customer is actually demanding. In order to
get a perspective on customer demands and taste, this sub question needs to be researched through a
consumer survey and literature research. Incorporating visuals, photographs of comparable products on
different models, enables the formation of a conclusion based upon opinions of aesthetics and
personal taste from a large group of women. The guiding questions regarding this sub question help
create better focus during the set-up for the survey, in order to obtain the right information that can be
used for the creation of the final advise. The limitation to this method are that even though the amount
of respondents make the survey feasible, the outcome might deviate once the same survey is performed on a different group of respondents.

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Evolution of Human Aesthetics

2.0
Evolution of Human Aesthetics

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Evolution of Human Aesthetics

This chapter discusses the evolution of human aesthetics over the last 60 years, to answer the first sub
question of this research report: How have human aesthetics developed over the last decades and
what are they today? It its important to understand what the ruling beauty ideals have been in the
past decades and what the ideal body looks like today, in order to find out if the fashion industry is
staying behind on these developments. This chapter will also start to outline the term realistic used
throughout this report. The definition of this term is based on the consumer research performed as
well as research on social media to see how the target group of this research project defines a realistic
model.
The research on the history of human aesthetics focusses on the decades post WWII. Aesthetic trends
from this era are most influential for the world of today, a lot of consumers have experienced many of
the different decades and popular principles re-occur in todays popular aesthetic. After the war,
women were enabled to celebrate their beauty and femininity again, regaining them through their
clothes. The body ideal focussed on feminine shapes with slim-waisted, curvaceous silhouettes. The
Zeitgeist revolved around women in their role as mothers and wives, and a curvy body with wide hips
and a full bust were seen as signs of fertility (PB, page 8). Throughout time, we can determine that
beauty ideals are often extreme opposites of their predecessors. Beauty ideals are often also closely
linked to the political oreconomic situation, prosperity leading to extravagance and darker times
resulting in more minimalistic styles.
This principle was showcased in the 60s, when the feminist movements made public headlines. The
modesty of the previous years was lost while ultra-short mini skirts ruled the streets and the ideal body
had endlessly long legs and a child-like built. Curves were no longer desirable and women took to
weight-loss pills in order to fit the body ideal (PB, page 9). This era was followed by the age where
everything felt possible. The 70s Vietnam War stirred up debates globally and youngsters rebelled
against their parents through their clothing. Women were in control of their own bodies and chose
pants over skirts, while many in subcultures pierced their bodies and shaved their hair. Fashion
changed from theatrical to practical, the ideal body shape showed off a lean body with a slight
comeback of curves (PB, page 10).
The 80s woman was powerful, in control of her life and her body. Successful women were supposed
to work out and have toned and powerful bodies. Controlling your body by working out was seen as a
symbol of power. This control turned to a disturbing body aesthetic in the 90s were this control
turned to having a power to resist meals. Those who could gained fame, slender models took
celebrity status, but the pressure of working in the industry and remaining skinny was hard. Drug abuse
was common, and made models look gaunting and skinny. Curves were not desired, the body was to
look androgynous (PB, page 12). This had major effect on society, young women were influenced by
the media and felt pressured to be thin. The 90s are still very influential for the fashion industry today
because criteria set for models back then have become even stricter today. Skinny is still a desirable
body shape for many young women, also 98% of women featured on Dutch media and on television is
still smaller than a size 36 (Cijfersenzo, 2016), so there is a lack of representation of the average woman
in the media.
The 2000s made way to an even more unattainable body ideal. With the rise of photoshop, models
turned into creatures of perfection instead of humans. Besides being skinny, models now embodied
perfection, with a fuller chest and narrow hips along with an airbrushed tan and glowing skin. Young
pop stars turned into idols as well as models who earned millions by putting products to their name.
Beauty became something you could buy, with increasing popularity of plastic surgery and other
treatments to enhance beauty. Fitting the beauty ideal became less attainable for the average woman,
but this did not make them want to desire it any less. This developments has increased since then, with
the perfect body looking more feminine and fit at the same time (PB, page 13).

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Evolution of Human Aesthetics

By 2016, beauty ideals have become harder to define and faster changing than ever before. The ideal
body often portrayed in the media shows a large bust, a tiny waist and an even bigger behind.
Subtlety left the vocabulary and the consumer seems to desire the ultimate feminine hourglass shape
while being skinny and toned at the same time (PB, page 14). A popular solution for this unattainability
is plastic surgery. Breast implants, lip injections and butt implants are no longer uncommon among
celebrities and those who have the money. According to Google Trends, the amount of Google
searches for lip fillers increased a tenfold after social media phenomenon Kylie Jenner had her lips
injected with fillers (Google.com/trends, 2016).
At the same time, society starts to realize the unattainability of the current beauty ideal and is calling
out for a more divers representation of women in the media (Luckhurst, 2015). So-called body
shaming is regarded as not-done, and there is a higher level of body positivity promoted. Beauty
is increasingly hard to define and the consumer no longer lets the fashion industry define the notion of
beauty. The fashion industry however seems to fall behind on developments in human aesthetics for
some while (Amed, 2013). When it comes to large campaigns and general advertising, fashion brands
seem a little lost on their model selection. Holding on to a beauty ideal were skinny is better while
consumers are demanding more versatility, might keep them from of selling as many products as
possible.
For most brands, their solution is often to choose popularity over originality, resulting in a small
selection of famous faces for different brands at the same time. Popular fashion model Cara Delevigne,
for example, has in 2015 starred in multi million dollar campaigns for Topshop, Mulberry, Mango,
Chanel, Tom Ford alone (F.Tape, 2016). Similar are for instance Gisele Bundchen, Kendall Jenner and
Lara Stone. Other tactics brands often apply are to contract movie stars and celebrities for their
campaigns. The use of popular celebrities often works because they naturally generate lots of attention
for a brand (Suttle, 2016). Studies however show that celebrities do not help to sell the product
effectively, unless they are considered to be expert users of the product advertised (Kalb, 2015).
We can conclude from this research into the history of human aesthetics that with the increasing
knowledge of technology, the perfect body starts to become more unattainable than in the decades
before. Women are required to have it all, and when they dont, there is always plastic surgery to fix all
your problems. There is however a shift noticeable among consumers and in bottom layers of the
industry that are starting to speak out against the need of a beauty ideal. A few plus-size models are
making their way to the top and are mostly celebrated by the consumer (Denardo, 2015). This
broadening of the human understanding of beauty might have a positive effect on the consumers
self-esteem, but makes it harder for brands to select a face for their campaigns and advertising. Sticking
to old habits is however not advised since the consumer is becoming increasingly vocal about their
dislike for the current aesthetic set out by the industry.
Looking at the definition of realistic based on the research thus far by collecting and interpreting social
media feedback (PB, page 4,5), we can state that consumers define realistic as a more average
representation of current day society and not to be in line with the current beauty ideals. The average
woman in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands wears a clothing size 42, while models typically wear
a size 30 or 32 (Gemiddeldgezien.nl, 2015). Models today weigh on average 23% less today than the
average woman (Abraham, 2012) and the consumer is asking for a more realistic representation of
society in campaigns and advertising. We can state that the term realistic for most women means a
easier to relate to clothing size, which might not be perfectly in line with the current beauty ideal, but
closer to the consumers own size. A more specific definition of size for the term realistic for the Dutch,
German and Belgian woman will be provided in chapter 4.0 The Consumers Perspective.

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The Brands Perspective

3.0
The Brands Perspective

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The Brands Perspective

This chapter highlights the perspective from the fashion industry and will answer the second research
question: Why do brands choose to advertise their product on a certain type of model? By
performing interviews with industry professionals and literature research on other opinions and
statements, an image has been formed with the motivation for brands to select a certain type of model.
Furthermore, this chapter tries to outline the isomorphic situation the fashion industry is currently in.
While the industry used to praise those who dared to stand out, most brands now shy away from the
opportunity to do something different and unique out of fear of losing popularity and fashionability
(Garced, 2015). This aspect of the research also tries to point out the instigators of this situation By
combining qualitative and quantitative research, a broader insight will be provided into the possible
explanations for the current situation and how brands regard the customer demand for versatility.
The companies interviewed, Hunkemller, ONeill and SPRMRKT, were selected based upon their
different approach to model selection. Hunkemller, a highly commercial brand, typically chooses long,
blonde and slender women for their media and receive a lot of negative feedback on their
decisions (PB, page 4). ONeill, a sports brand with leisure wear, chooses models of diverse ethnicities
who look fit and strong. They do not receive a lot of negative feedback on their model selection. Finally
SPRMRKT, an exclusive, high-end multi-brand store, uses customers for their media instead of using
professional models. The response from their customer is very positive according to their staff.
By studying the three brands interviewed, their similarities and differences are easily spotted. All three
brands want their customers to be able to relate to their models and use them as a reflection of their
ideal customer. None of the brands have ever worked with fuller models before, and while Hunkemoller
was very interested in the potential of the use of a fuller model, the issue was less important for both
ONeill and SPRMKT. All brands sell clothing up to a size 42 for women, yet never use models that represent this customer (PB, page 19-25).
Regarding their differences, it was obvious that high-end brands take the issue of versatility among
model sizes very differently than more commercial brands as Hunkemoller and ONeill. For SPRMRKT,
the brand has developed a unique and personal style regarding their photography and their methods
are well received by their customer. You could state that SPRMRKT is very much aware of what their
customer wants and likes, which might be easier because they attend to a smaller market then ONeill
and Hunkemoller. The reasons for using models is also different for every brand. Hunkemoller is very
picky on their model selection and chooses to book the same models repeatedly. Their approach is to
give the models a little personality in order for their customer to connect with them. The models have
to look the right age, not too young because they are in lingerie, and must have the right look.
ONeill uses models to provide their customers with a sense of how-to-wear and to distinguish
themselves from other brands. The brand uses models of different ethnicities and uses this to appeal
to customers from all sorts of backgrounds. The fit of the product is the most important for them when
choosing a model, because the products should enhance her beauty and athleticism. SPRMRKT has a
totally different approach to the selection of models, because they have not worked with professional
models before. They find relatability so important that they ask their customers to model their clothing
for e-commerce purposes. This keeps costs down and allows for the brand to built a diverse selection
of models when it comes to ethnicity and appearance.
Following the interviews, more data was gathered to find reasons for the use of skinny models
combined with statements from industry professionals who believed fuller models would soon be
mainstream in the fashion industry. The statements are organized by viewpoint and provide reasons for
and against the use of skinny models from the perspective of the fashion industry. Other statements
taken into account are those of legislators who are involved with laws regarding the size and health of
models in the industry.

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The Brands Perspective

There are many industry professionals and government officials who disagree with the current standard
in the modeling industry. Many blame the industry for holding up and promoting unrealistic body ideals
that negatively influence young womens body image (PB, page 27). There is a lot of discussion on
whether governments could prohibit the industry from using models below a certain body weight, a law
that the French government is considering. In the Netherlands, the idea of legislation finds a lot of
support among consumers (Eenvandaag, 2015). But drawing up such a law and enforcing it is
complicated and expensive, as well as defining where to draw a line. BMI, currently suggested as a tool
for enforcement, is not an ideal representation of health. Some women are blessed with height and a
slender frame. Would it be fair to prohibit these healthy women from doing a job that could earn them
a decent amount of money? And if malnutrition should not be promoted, how about obesity? Should
plus-size models also be prohibited from practicing their profession because they promote an
unheathly lifestyle?
It is also hard to determine the party guilty of keeping up the current industry standards. Designers
blame modeling agencies, for not offering a varied selection of models, while the agencies blame the
designers for demanding slender models (PB, page 28). Other industry professionals put the blame on
the consumer, claiming that the consumer wants to see slender models, or otherwise they would not
buy from brands who use them (The Huffington Post, 2013). Regarding legislation, the question remains
who should be held responsible for the use of very skinny models and should will be the enforcer of
these laws.
Given reasons for the use of slender models are usually vague and questionable. A model is nothing
more than a hanger is a popular reason (wiseGEEK, 2013), but models are often far more than just a
body for clothing to be draped on, if you look at the interviews performed for this research. Clothing
looks better of skinny models is also often put forward (PB, page 31), but this is a matter of taste.
Designers also complain about the lack of professional fuller women, pointing their finger at modeling
agencies. The agencies in return however claim that if they refuse to contract ultra-skinny models, their
competition will and they will loose clients (Mears, 2010).
Another explanation, a rather sophisticated one, is by Rehman: designers select their models not to
be presented as women, but rather as fixtures for their artwork (Rehman, 2015). In essence, a
model is still regarded in marketing as a vehicle for branding of the unattainable and perfect. The
question remains however if this marketing principle is still relevant today when customers are
becoming more aware of how photoshopped and unrealistic these advertisements are.
There are industry professionals who believe that the modeling industry will balance itself out
(Duggan, 2014). There is an increasing demand for more realistic models (PB, page 4), but there will
always be those who prefer the looks of the ultra-skinny ones because clothes might look better on
them or because it is just their preference. The issue is however that the health of these young girls is
hard to control and to reduce the effect models appear to have on young women and their body
image, even though the industry claims not to be of influence. 47% of 1500 girls between 12 and 16
who participated in a survey by Een Vandaag in 2015 admit that super skinny models have had a large
effect on their self esteem, mostly negative (Eenvandaag.nl, 2015). Influential magazines and brands
like H&M have already stated to no longer use models who look too skinny (van Dijk, 2015). These
slender models leave customers struggling to relate to and to identify with a brand.

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The Brands Perspective

As a conclusion, we could state that the Brands Perspective on the current situation is divided on the
actual reasons for brands to exclusively book slender models. All parties involved blame other sides
and none of the reasons that were brought forward holds up on the long run. The industry has been
stuck in its old ways, looking to their competitors for how-to guidance out of fear of being out of
fashion. Now that the consumer is demanding more versatility, brands are slowly opening up to the
idea of booking more diverse models, but developments are slow while brands keep trying to shy away
from controversy.
Govermenmental legislations on this topic are however complex and over ambitious. The
BMI-focussed laws have well found reasons for being discussed, since the industry has failed for so long
to change their ways, but the execution remains a vague detail. Such legislation would be incredibly
difficult to delimit and enforce. No industry should not be forced to control the weight of individuals,
like lawfirms should not interfere with the weight of their lawyers, as it is our individual responsibility
to control our own health. Promoting malnutrition is however an issue that needs to be dealt with but
legislation does not appear to be the best option.

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The Consumers Perspective

4.0
The Consumers Perspective

Research Book 16

The Consumers Perspective

After reviewing both the history of human aesthetics and the brands perspective on the use of
slender or fuller models for advertising and campaigns, the next and probably most important
perspective to consider is that of the consumer. In this chapter the research question to be answered is
What are consumers demanding when it comes to models used in advertising and campaigns?
while looking at quantitative and qualitative data. Furthermore, the term realistic is to be defined from a
consumer perspective.
The literature study focussed on researches performed by researchers and universities in order to
establish which model size would be ideal to stimulate product sales. These studies however missed
specification for target groups and consumer background or only focussed on young women with
similar lifestyles (PB, page 37-45). The study performed by the University of Bath (Bath.ac.uk, 2006)
found that the respondents favored slimmer models because they attributed being skinny to
possession of willpower and strength. This research was however conducted among British college
students, around the same age and with similar life styles. The outcomes of this research are
therefore not applicable to an entire industry because they only cover the demands of a very specific
target group.
An interesting point that came forward during research towards the standpoint that skinny models sell
better, is that women do not feel better about themselves after seeing realistic models. Since the
consumer is aware of the use of photoshop and the unattainability of becoming as skinny as most of the
models in magazines, they have a defense mechanism build up in order to protect their self-esteem.
When more realistic models are used in advertising, women may still feel like they are falling short in
comparison to real women (Celebre and Waggoner Drenton, 2014).
At the same time, images of skinny models are still used as an inspiration for many women, instead of
using them as a negative comparison to their own bodies (McGuire, 2014). In a world where the
population becomes more obese, 48.3% of the Dutch population above 19 is obese
(Nationaalkompas.nl, 2016), should we not celebrate the desire of wanting to be slender and fit? A
study by Jeremy Kees and Karen Becker-Olsen showed that being presented with images of slender
models did have an effect on the habits of female college students between 18 and 24. Idolizing
models for the way they take care of their bodies might be a positive effect, but this idolization should
not lead to negative self-esteem and eating disorders.
Research studies advocating that fuller models would sell more products than skinny ones, come across
the same problems of not being specific enough or focussing on target groups that are either too
narrow or too broad. The study by Kai-Yu Wang studied women from 18 to 45 years old, using a size 36
as a representation of a fuller model (Darwin, 2015). In this study, the results showed that when it came
to new brands, the fuller model was preferred by the respondents. However, a size 36 is still considered
a Small in the fashion industry and is far of the average size 42 worn by the consumer discussed here.
An interesting finding was that the way a model was used was of much influence of how the
consumer would rate an advertisement. If used on a large-scale or close-up in the image, the consumer
was turned of by the ad (Styles, 2013). When used more subtle, the advertisement was found to
increase spending. Blatant use of models induce a defensive coping strategy in consumers in order for
them to restore their self-esteem. The consumers perception of self-esteem and product desirability are
closely linked and all depending in the degree of attention paid to an idealized image of the model.
When emphasized too much, consumers tend to have a negative response to a brand or product.
The study by the University of Leuven (Ketelaar and Devriendt, 2011) was interesting because it
categorized women in their 30s by their internalization of western or other beauty ideals. The study
found fuller models to be more successful among this age group, who had an average BMI of 23. The
Dutch study by Een Vandaag was one of the only studies who divided respondents in age categories,
which also proved that women prefer looking at more average, healthy looking models (Eenvandaag,

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The Consumers Perspective

2015). This is also the main point to take away from the performed researches with outcomes that fuller
models are preferred to skinny models. Once a model no longer looks healthy, the consumer is
turned off by her appearance, choosing a healthier looking option. In the case of the Een Vandaag
study, the model was made to look less healthy than she was in reality and therefore, the result of the
survey might not be the most reliable (Toeps, 2015). Furthermore, we can state that the target group of
the research is of major influence in the researchs outcome. Older women tend to have a preference
for more average looking models as proven by the University of Leuven and the research by the Dutch
Een Vandaag. When these target groups are combined, the study tends to lean towards a more
positive attitude towards fuller figured models. In order to provide a specific and applicable advice for
brands seeking to change their marketing strategies, multiple target groups must be researched on
their opinions on body image, the way they see their own bodies and what they respond better to in
terms of a models clothing size.
A consumer survey was set up with this knowledge, aiming to gather data on how German, Dutch and
Belgian women perceived body ideal and if a larger clothing size of a model would have any effect on
their desire for a brand or product. The 140 participants were aged between 15 and 45 and were
categorized in groups by age and size. During the survey, the respondents were presented with two
similar visuals of women in the same pose, garments and appearance, but with a different clothing size.
The survey showed that young and slender women feel more appeal for the advertisement using the
slender model, while the older and larger sized women have a preference for the fuller model. The
survey also showed that on average, when consumers get older, they tend to become larger in size.
When asked to which of the models the women could relate best, for all groups, the majority of the
women indicated to be able to relate better to the fuller model. Even group C, the smaller sized
respondents, 50.7% of women stated to be able to relate more to the fuller model than the slimmer
model. Besides showing that the respondents claimed they would relate better to a fuller model, these
responses also provided insight into a culture where skinny is considered highly desirable among
women. Even among those who were considered as slender by an industry upholding standards
unattainable for most, these women felt as if they would not fit a body most represented in current day
media (PB, page 48-56).
When the respondents were asked to indicate which of the two advertisements incited them most to
buy the product advertised, the older and larger sized women chose the fuller figured model with large
majority (70.0% and 68.1%). The young and slimmer women had a majority vote for the skinny model,
indicating that the use of fuller models in campaigns could actually make these women not feel
targeted by certain marketing campaigns once fuller models would be used. The problem here is that
most brands do not only cater to size 38 and below. Fashion brands could actually profit from using a
variety of models in their campaigns once they offer garments from a size 36 to a 42, in order to
increase product performances.
At the same time the survey showed that the importance of being able to relate is very different among
the different groups of respondents. The majority of smaller sized women states it is not important to
be able to relate to a model before they would consider buying a product while of the larger sized
women, the majority indicates that they find being able to relate of importance. For those whos body
shape is frequently represented and glorified in all sorts of media, the importance of being able to
relate to a model seems to have lost its value. At the other end of the spectrum, the women who find it
more important to relate do not see any representation in advertising or campaigns. This might be the
main reason for these respondents to attach value to being able to relate.
In order to be able to define the term realistic would mean for a model her size, the respondents were
first asked to give their opinion on the current variety of models in the industry today and what they
figured would be the ideal size for a model to be considered average. The answers of the young and
slender women who indicated they felt the industrys promoted ideals were unrealistic, defined a

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The Consumers Perspective

realistic size to be a size 36-38. For older and larger women whom felt the same about the current
variety in the fashion industry, the size most suggested was 38-40. These sizes were also the average
sizes from the respondents in the younger and older age group, so the respondents do seek to define
the term realistic in a way that is relatable for them. Standards European modeling agencies demand
for aspiring models are generally a size 30 or 32. While in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany an
average woman wears a size 42 (Gemiddeldgezien.nl, n.d.), models have to be thinner every year.
The main goal of the survey was to find out whether consumers would be more keen to purchase from
brands using more realistic models in their campaigns and advertising. Overal, the results of the
survey are promising for brands considering to contract more average sized models. From all the
groups categorized, the majority of women either stated they would be more keen to buy from brands
using fuller more average sized women and there was also a large majority than would consider the
option, selecting maybe. These results show that women are open to change in an industry that has
upheld unattainable beauty ideals for many decades. There were only a small percentage of women
(15.7% out of all 140 respondents), all from the young and slender groups of respondents who stated
they would not feel targeted once brands started using more realistic sized models.
These results open a window of opportunities for brands to start experimenting with a larger variety of
models when it comes to their clothing size. Also since 22.8% of all respondents state that
advertisements have no effect on their desire for a brand or product, of whom the majority of these
women could be found among the young a slender respondents of the survey. Since these women
claim to not be affected by marketing for their own specific target group, brand should not be too
hesitant out of fear of excluding their ideal customer. The study from the University of Kent (Darwin,
2015) also shows that with well-established brands, the size of the model has no effect on the way
people perceive the brand. So why not introduce a little diversity in order to promote beauty in a more
diverse way for young women to be inspired by?
Combining results from multiple question in the survey allowed to test the hypothesis that women who
found relatability important would be more keen to buy from a brand using more realistic models. The
staggering result showed that for all groups, all respondents who indicated being able to relate to a
model before they would consider buying a product, were more keen to buy from a brand using fuller
models. Again, it was noticeable that from the group containing the slender figured women who found
relatability of no importance, 40.5% stated that advertisements had no effect on their product desire.
This again proves that there no harm in trying to experiment with more average sized models in
advertisements.
Combining the results of the visual questions allowed to test the hypothesis that women are more
incited to purchase a product from an advertisement with a model they can relate too. This hypothesis
was both proven and rejected for different target groups. For the older and larger sized women, the
hypothesis was proven correct. The majority of these women was able to relate better to the fuller
model and also were more incited to buy products advertised on fuller models. The most interesting
group to study for this hypothesis were the young women who related themselves with the fuller
model. Of this group, 47.9% felt more incited by the slimmer model. For Dutch, German and Belgian
youngsters, the slender figure remains to be desirable and therefore this group feels more incited by
the sight of slender models. At the same time, the use of fuller models might contribute to changing
these dynamics in the future.
Without trying to add a little diversity in the mix, brands will always be able to claim that skinny sells
because consumers keep purchasing. Hard data can only be collected once brands actually start using
fuller models and compare the performance of the product advertised on fuller models with the
product advertised on slender ones. The few brands who have studied the performance of fuller
models, like American lingerie brand Adore Me which experienced four-times higher sales rates on a
fuller model than on a slender one (Barrel, 2015), can show that there is opportunity in diversity.

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Conclusion
The aim of this research was to find out whether a more realistic model would positively or
negatively influence the desirability of a product in advertisements and campaigns. To reach this aim,
three sub questions were set up in order to understand the current situation, the perspective from the
industry and the perspective of the consumer. The final product for this graduation thesis will be two
specific advices for brand willing to adjust their marketing strategy to best fit the demands of their
customer and to reach the best results with their advertising budgets.
While researching the evolution of human aesthetics over the last sixty years, it became clear that an
unattainable beauty ideal is not just something of this day and age. Women have been subjected to
unattainable ideals for nearly their entire existence. These ideals have always been unattainable for the
masses, but this might also be what increases their popularity. Today, with the aid of technology,
beauty ideals are becoming harder to attain but have become increasingly desirable than ever before.
True beauty is only for those who can afford the personal trainers, plastic surgery and private chefs. Yet
there is an rising notion that everybody is beautiful in his or her own way. The fashion industry, which
has been behind on current developments, possibly because of the pace and diversity of the
developments, is slowly catching up with this notion. Body shaming is a popular expression on social
media and is mostly regarded as unacceptable. While the industry is trying to move away from its
impossibly skinny standards for models, larger sized models are praised and celebrated, and more
brands and magazines take a stand by putting them in advertisements or on covers. This development
goes hand in hand with a higher consumer demand for models they can relate to, yet many brands are
still sticking to the impossible thin standards popularized in the 90s.
The brands perspective on their influence and role in the creation of beauty ideals is much debated.
Industry professionals blame each other for upholding of the current standards in the industry, but
none of the parties involved are actively trying to change the situation either, despite increasing
customer demands. The qualitative research showed that brands do pay careful attention to their
model selection, but yet the image of the industry remains to look extremely uniform. All brand
interviewed want their customer to be able to relate to their models, but maybe the mass of the
industry is focussing on a barely existing ideal target consumer. Could brands not reach far better sales
results by trying to reach out to all those consumers who do not fit the endlessly tall, impossibly skinny
and toned body type?
Yet the industry remains to uphold strict body standards for models as if they were nothing more than
living clothing hangers. And now that governments are involving themselves in the industry, in order
to protect the young women of their society from developing eating disorders and lower self-esteem,
many in the industry claim that they are not to blame for the many young girls developing eating
disorders and shift the blame towards other parties. The problem, according to some, is with the
women who aspire to become models, but who do not have the physique to ever fit industry
standards. This is immediately the crux in this shifting of blame. Would the industry decide to not
uphold these unattainable standards for models and promote an image of beauty in diversity, this
development might on the long run benefit the entire society. We should however not exclude slender
women by law from doing modeling work or being part of society because they could hurt others
self-worth, just as we should not discriminate against women who ar heavily obese. We should not
need laws in order to change something that will make society a more appreciative and beautiful
place.
The consumers perspective is maybe the most important perspective in the equation. Consumers
have started to become increasingly more vocal and influential over the last decade and this time
their concerns involve an issue that has been making headlines for years. So far, the industry has only

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Conclusion

started following the consumer demand by little steps, but research by Ben Barry (Barry, 2012) has
shown that these developments have not sufficed. The consumer is increasingly demanding for more
variety in models clothing sizes that are used in advertisements and campaigns. Talking to industry
professionals revealed that most brands are aware of these demands, but that they are hesitant when
it comes to the actual response from consumer translates into sales when fuller models would be used.
In order to find out of these fears are grounded, research was performed on the consumers
perspective with the main goal of finding out how the consumer defines realistic, what they would
would like to see and if the size of the model had any effect or her desire for a product or brand.
Previous studies into this topic showed contradicting results, mainly because their target groups were
either too narrow or too broad to come to applicable conclusions.
The most interesting outcomes from the researches combined was that women tend to have a larger
appeal for fit and healthy looking women. This excludes larger plus-size models and extremely skinny
ones. When it comes to the use of more realistic models, a pitfall could be that current day society is
so used to seeing photoshopped, impossibly slender models that we have developed a coping mechanism to protect our self-esteem. When we are presented with realistic models, these models are
also sorted out because they look prettier than average. Most women and young girls do not have a
defense mechanism for this marketing technique and might feel like they are still falling short of what
normal looks like.
The consumer survey however showed that the majority of the respondents to the survey indicated
to find being able to relate to a model before considering to buy the product of importance. This was
true for all target groups questioned, except for the group with slender women. From these result we
can conclude that women who are most often represented in the media, seem to lose value for the
importance of being able to relate, whilst for women who do not have this luxury, the value is
increased. Once fashion brands start using a larger diversity of models, models who are fuller and
slimmer, a representation of todays society, they might find that the consumer response might change
from a negative to a positive climate.
The survey also showed that the majority of the respondents related better to the fuller model ,but
answers were divided when asked if the fuller or slimmer model incited them more to buy a product.
Young and slender women tended to lean towards the slimmer model, showing that in current day
society, skinny is still the desirable body shape. Once the respondents got older and/or larger, they
indicated to get more incited by the fuller model. This difference is important when brands are willing
to amend their marketing strategy. In order to determine which models size would reach the most
successful result with your consumer, it is important for brands to clearly define their target group.
Of all the respondents, the majority of women indicated they would be, or might be more keen to buy
from an brand that uses fuller models for their advertising and campaigns. This shows that consumers
are supporting their demand for change in the industry when asked about their perspective in a
different situation, indicating that their words might lead to a increase in purchases. Only 15.7% out
of 140 respondents indicated that they might not feel targeted once brand would start to use fuller
models. There will however always be brands who will cater to the needs of the young and the
slender, but this research shows how beneficial it could be for large and commercial brand to change
their marketing strategies. Especially for women who found being able to relate to a model of
importance, of whom all respondents indicated that the might or would be more keen to shop at a
brand using fuller models.

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Conclusion

Based upon the research performed and the result from the consumer survey we can state that with
a realistic model, consumers do not mean a model who is more in line with the current beauty ideal,
but a model who is easier to relate to for the average woman. For consumers below their
mid-twenties, the ideal size for a model to be considered average is 36-38 and for older consumers up
until 45 the ideal size is considered a size 38-40. This study proves that working with sizes can benefit
brands if they have clearly defined their target groups, because the majority of larger sized women
indicate that they find it important to relate, while smaller sized women indicate advertisements have
no effect on their desire for a brand or product. Brands who decide to hire a larger diversity of models
in size could profit from the older consumers desire to relate while the fear of excluding the younger
target group is rejected.
The approach for brands to alter their marketing strategy to their customers demands has been
clarified in the product with this research product. The main idea of the marketing advices is that the
reader does not have to have to read the entire research. Without summarizing the entire research
book, the advices contain enough statistics and information for a business to have the effectivity of the
advices proven in measurable goals and reasons for implementation. By following the flow chart
provided, a brand can easily determine which advice to follow to reach the best sales results for their
business.

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Research Book 23

Research Book 24