Dooney and Bourke: Upsetting Purses

This is an ad for Dooney and Bourke, a fashion line, from a women’s fashion magazine.

I understand why fashion lines put famous actresses in their ads – people want to be glamorous like the actresses and if the clothing get associated they might buy it to feel that way.  What I don’t understand is how this ad showing the actress looking so very distressed or depressed (clearly very unhappy) is really going to help sell clothing.  I mean, the models don’t always need to be smiling their faces off, but who thought that associating such a look of “I’m thinking about how short life is because my friend just died in a meaningless car crash” was a good look for the ad?

Obviously I’m reading a lot of story into the look, but that’s what this ad makes me want to do.  It does not make me want to have any more interest in the clothing, handbag or company behind them than I had before.  In fact, when I decided to do this ad today, I had to go looking for it because I couldn’t remember what company it was for, just who the actress was and the look on her face, and my files aren’t organized that way.  This ad does make me think of stories behind why she might have that expression, though.  In that way, it’s a great ad.  It definitely sticks in my head and makes me want to come back and think about it.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t sell the product nearly as well as it sells the actress.

About these ads