Blog Holds Ralph Lauren Responsible for Inappropriate Photo Editing
It comes as no surprise that print advertisements are edited. In fact, most things media-related are edited. Still, it’s always disturbing when you see a model with a waist smaller than her head.
The last installment of such a fiasco comes from Ralph Lauren.
The advertisement, featuring model Filippa Hamilton, was seen on the blog Photoshop Disasters in late September. Soon after, the advertisement was all over the place, including the blog Boing Boing.
According to ABC News, PRL USA Holdings, Inc. (Ralph Lauren) informed Boing Boing that their Web site wasn’t “authorized” to post the ad. Ralph Lauren kindly notified everyone with negative responses to the ad that they were in “copyright infringement.”
Boing Boing was not having any of it. They refused to take the picture down. Editor, Cory Doctorow, said, “Instead of responding to their legal threat by suppressing our criticism of their marketing images, we’re gonna mock them… Copyright law doesn’t give you the right to threaten your critics for pointing out the problems with your offerings.”
Ouch!!
Advertisements like this are why so many Americans have eating disorders.
Boing Boing should be proud of themselves for sticking up for what is right.
Ralph Lauren should be ashamed.
But, should we be surprised?
andrea @ October 8, 2009