Daughter one received her copy of the newest Jack Wills catalogue yesterday. Following the scandal of the last edition, I was tempted to take a look - I know, I'm a sucker for negative advertising! - I couldn't help but chuckle a little at the inclusion of the words "University Outfitters" on the cover by way of addressing the fact that the crux of their previous defence was that the catalogue was aimed at the over 18's. Nevertheless, my 16 year old daughter is still on their mailing list.
I have to admit to my naivety on this topic. Daughter got a job and a bank debit card so was able to afford to buy herself a pair of those £50 trackies she'd been nagging me to buy for months before; I was more relieved at the peace than worried for her moral safety! The main point is this, though... daughter wants clothes, daughter has means to buy the clothes, daughter orders clothes online and is added to the mailing list. Ok, these kids pretend to be 18 in order to obtain their clothes, but in reality they just think they are lying for the right to buy something. In today's era of fuzzy boundaries it does not feel wrong to them. Nowhere is there a warning that the catalogue they will be sent is intended only for an adult audience.
Even a logo
on the cover would alert parents as it comes through the door, but most just pass it over thinking it's just another irrelevant, over-priced piece of junk mail.
The cynic in me wants to suggest that the 19 complainants may actually have been employees of Jack Wills. I wonder how many other older relatives of catalogue recipients have opened mail addressed to someone else this weekend and have found themselves thinking "Wow, I just love that skirt!" Have they just opened themselves up a whole new market of mums, aunties and big sisters?
I wonder if it is really as bad as we are made to think. Especially when a trawl through the music tv channels reveals far more explicit imagery without the need to pretend you are a few years older. Don't get me wrong, I agree absolutely that some of the images are inappropriate and bear no relevance to their purpose but are they worthy of such a huge media outcry?
The original reports are available from any news website, here is one for those too lazy to look for themselves!
Metro News Report - Jack Wills
The cynic in me wants to suggest that the 19 complainants may actually have been employees of Jack Wills. I wonder how many other older relatives of catalogue recipients have opened mail addressed to someone else this weekend and have found themselves thinking "Wow, I just love that skirt!" Have they just opened themselves up a whole new market of mums, aunties and big sisters?
I wonder if it is really as bad as we are made to think. Especially when a trawl through the music tv channels reveals far more explicit imagery without the need to pretend you are a few years older. Don't get me wrong, I agree absolutely that some of the images are inappropriate and bear no relevance to their purpose but are they worthy of such a huge media outcry?
The original reports are available from any news website, here is one for those too lazy to look for themselves!
Metro News Report - Jack Wills
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