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Women more likely to buy clothes on models of their size, age and ethnicity: study

Diversity (or lack thereof) in the modelling industry has been a hot topic for years, especially lately, as models have been getting thinner and thinner.

According to Elle Canada, most fashion brands select their models based on the assumption that consumer demand is fuelled by unachievable desire -- meaning, consumers want to look as good as the stick-thin, early-teen models in fashion ads, so they'll buy the clothes in hopes of achieving the same look. While this theory isn't based on any concrete evidence, designers use it as an excuse to continue to make all their samples a size two and to justify selecting the same young, thin, Caucasian prototype models for every project.

Also see: Skechers ordered to pay $40 million for false advertising

Ben Barry, a Toronto-based modelling agent who's been a proponent for diversity in fashion since the age of 14, is trying to change this unfortunate reality. He recently conducted a study as a part of his doctoral thesis at Cambridge University to find out exactly how models influence shoppers' purchasing decisions. He surveyed more than 2,500 women throughout Canada and the United States, of various ethnicities, with ages ranging from 14 to 65 and dress sizes from 0 to 18.

"Each woman was randomly shown two of eight possible ads where the models might have reflected some of their traits, all of their traits or none of their traits," Barry explains in Elle Canada.

"To avoid biasing their opinions, I didn't share reveal the true aims of my study with them. In the second phase, I facilitated focus groups with different women to help identify reasons for particular purchase intentions."

His findings were telling indeed.

Overall, women's intentions to purchase increased when they saw models who reflected their own demographics in advertisements -- they were 200 per cent more likely to purchase the advertised products when the models were their size; 175 per cent more likely to purchase when the models were within their age range; and black women, specifically, were 1.5 times more likely to purchase if the model in the ad was of a similar ethnicity.

"In the focus groups, women explained that they could better picture themselves in the dress advertised by similar models," says Barry. "They could imagine how the dress would flatter their shape, how the aesthetic would suit their age and how the colours would complement their complexion."

So despite what the fashion world insists on believing about size-two models and consumer behaviour, Barry found that the opposite is true. The insecurity some of his participants felt after looking at the ads with the ultra-thin models ended up turning them off the advertised product completely.

Also see: 'Fashion Like': Clothing hanger displays how many 'likes' the item has

Barry concludes from his research that appealing to your customers is not just a matter of using plus-sized or ethnically diverse models every now and again, nor does he think curvy models should replace all the thin ones outright.

"I find that every model can be effective," he writes in Elle Canada. "Their effectiveness depends on whether the model shares the consumers' traits."

Therefore, brands should be looking at their target demographics and selecting models to reflect them.

As compelling as Barry's research may be, Jezebel writer Jenna Sauers, acknowledges the hurdles stacked against Barry and his mission: "Making a well-reasoned appeal for diversity on behalf of the bottom line, however, just might work."

And New York Magazine's writer Charlotte Cowles weighs in on the topic as well: "It would behoove some marketing agencies to examine the veracity of Barry's conclusions and research the matter further, particularly since there's lots of shopping dollars at stake."

Kudos to this young Canadian for taking it upon himself to help change the state of a very stubborn and often closed-minded industry.

Would you, personally, be more inclined to buy something if it was modelled by someone your size, shape and/or race?

Watch the fashion video below showing off Rhum Raisins' spring/summer collection for 2012.