Fashion Model Advertising

Fashion Models & Advertising Taboos

Catching Jaime Lee Curtis on the much-discussed Dannon Activia commercial wherein she talks about digestive health reminded me of Laetitia Casta’s former manager who found some of the modeling taboos so silly, he could not even comprehend who came up with it in the first place.

Jaime Lee Curtis

“High fashion models do eat or drink, so they could not be in an ad wherein they are seen putting something in their mouth,” the former manager of France’s most famous model told me. “Models are not supposed to have any digestive tracts, which is totally silly because they are humans. But, of course, if we believe the image that is presented to the public, they are superhumans and do have the needs of mere mortals, like eating or drinking.”

I was about 12 when I first heard him say that, when he was still managing Laetitia Casta. He took an interest in me, the only 12-year old in a group of adults, the reason why I was there I had forgotten. I have always appreciated that he kept me company when all of the adults except for my father and him ignored me the whole evening.

So, here I am six years later, watching Jaime Lee Curtis draw attention to the importance of digestive health, shedding light on this all-too-frequent, silent health problem and presents Activia (a yoghurt) as a delicious, simple solution.

And because this has never done before, i.e., a celebrity, an actor, a fashion model, had never accepted in public that they do eat and they do drink, this advertisement is considered groundbreaking. It breaks a modeling taboo and to a bigger extent, ‘polite society’s taboo’ also.

“Digestive problems are important and surprisingly common but we don’t discuss them. Whereas we routinely talk about other uncomfortable topics, such as erectile dysfunction, digestive health is not being addressed — and it’s time to change that,” explained Curtis in the ad.

“I am not afraid to talk about bowel issues — there I said it — and I’m very committed to help people find solutions, like a balanced diet and Activia. It is rewarding to be the ice breaker who speaks openly about digestive health and irregularity, and make it easier for people to find a solution.”