You've got to hand it to Debenhams. The U.K. department store retailer started by using plus size mannequins in the windows of its stores because they more accurately reflected the sizes of its customers. The company has also used a disabled person in a wheelchair to model in one its ad campaigns. Now the company has decided, in keeping with its promotion of natural beauty, that it will no longer allow photos of its models to be retouched.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, a sign next to a shot of a model in the store's window reads: "We've not messed with natural beauty; this image is unairbrushed. What do you think?"
"Our campaign is all about making women feel good about themselves -- not eroding their self belief and esteem by using false comparisons," said Mark Woods, director of creative and visual for the retailer.
"Not only does it make sense from a moral point of view, it ticks the economic boxes as well. Millions of pounds a year are spent by organisations retouching perfectly good images," he told the Mail.
Discussion Questions: What do you think of Debenham's push for more natural, authentic beauty in its visual displays and advertising? Will consumers think of the retailer as being more honest than its competitors through steps such as this? Is this something that would work in the U.S.?