Art & Domestic Violence: Marketing 101

Following in the hailstorm of controversy and media attention Sarah Cameron of Fluid Hair Salon, Tyler Shields and Glee actress, Heather Morris are the latest members of Gen-Y to utilize the “image” of a Domestic Violence Victim for their expressions of art.  

Understandably, Mr. Shields has and always will be a perpetrator of controversy. It maximizes profit. The lure of violence and ‘sexy’ women, portrayed under the guise of art is fast becoming a useful and instantaneous global advertising technique.  

To make acceptable by the masses, this marketing strategy is best utilized if the person of controversy feigns shock at the backlash, quickly apologizes and then pledges to donate money to a Domestic Violence-type cause.  

Pictures of women with bruised and bloody eyes has become predictable – media commenting on pictures of women with bruised and bloody eyes black is equally predictable - and at this point – simply boring. 

Like children seeking attention... if the positive is not forthcoming, children utilize negative. 

Like parents teaching respect... let’s no longer give it to them. 

Following the backlash from domestic violence advocates:

1. Cameron and Shields feigned shock yet simultaneously acknowledged indifference;
2. Both deployed the typical non-apology of “I don`t regret the image but I regret if anyone might be offended” and;
3. Both predictably pledging to donate to a Domestic Violence organization.

Cameron, Shields/Morris and their supporters maintain society is too sensitive and they are not responsible for someone’s interpretation of “art”. Heather Morris of Glee has remained noticeably silent.

It isn’t art to victims of domestic violence. It is a photo; it is a picture – a mirror image of themselves, a reflection of pain, humiliation and suffering. No one is being too sensitive, they are reliving trauma. PTSD is prevalent among victims of domestic violence but statistics may never reveal the true and accurate extent and depth of this debilitating disease. 

If a victim of 9/11 was portrayed – jumping from a window in fear - would that be ok? It’s been 10 years; people must be over it by now?  

Cameron chose to beautify domestic violence to advertise her hairdressing skills, Shields/Morris chose to sell pictures of a “bruised-up Barbie” (doll) and the media chose to give them the controversy they heartlessly inspired to achieve. It’s Marketing 101 - Cause and Effect, in which an action or event will produce a certain response to the action in the form of another event. It’s also Parenting 101. 

Like children seeking attention... if the positive is not forthcoming, children utilize negative.  

Like parents teaching respect... collectively, let’s no longer give it to them.

By: Lisa A. MacLeod, Women at Risk Advocate, Founder of Help Open Pandora’s Box

How to Understand "Why"

"No matter what difficulty you are facing, it is coming from Divine Light to bring you to a higher place.

Write down every conceivable reason that this situation can contribute towards your growth.

Write down every way this experience can possibly set the stage for serving to uplift others.

When you are complete, and have come to the other side of this experience...

You will know "why" it happened."

-- Barbara Rose

Last To Say.. Please Don't Stay

"The Last To Say"
by Atmosphere

As far back as he cares to remember,
He used to see his old man lose the temper.
And Mama's pretty face'd catch it all.
On a regular basis the nest would fall.
But he was always safe from dad's rage
'Cause mama's sacrifice in his place.
Two dozen years, Of the blood sweet and tears.
Avoid the mirror, losin' her hair from the fear.
She never left him, stayed inside.
He beat her ass up until the day that he died.
In fact the biggest beating was the day that he died.
Cause now it's too late for her to make a new life.
She gets to mourn for the touch of a punch.
Won't ever admit that she ain't clutching it much.
Some day she'll die and still won't be done.
The anger lives on through their son.

Cause he saw, he caught it all,
A childhood of watchin' ma and pa get raw.
It's too bad for him; Naw' that's half the truth.
Cause you back with him now and he's smackin' you.
What happened to you? You don't have a clue.
Did your mamma use to suffer accidents too?
I never knew that you would stand for abuse.
I guess I just assumed that you would pack up and move.
Think about when you left him, Last time,
You said out loud, You'd never forgive past crime.
Sunglasses so dark, scarf around the neck to cover the choke marks.
And since you got it justify returnin',
You convinced yourself that he's just a hurt person.
You wanna blame that cross he bares,
But his pop's not there when he tosses you down stairs.

Let me be the last to say, please don't stay.
Let me be the last to say, you won't be okay.

Please put your shoes on and step into that warm weather.
Go get yourself a more better forever.
Gotta put it down, you gotta leave it,
And don't ever come back again; You gotta mean it.
Just tear it all apart and build new,
Cause' if you don't kill him he's gonna kill you.
You can't hold hands when they make fists,
And I ain't the first to say this but,

Let me be the last to say, please don't stay.
Let me be the last to say, you won't be okay.
Let me be the last to say, please don't stay.

Look Good in All You Do

Over the past couple weeks, Fluid Hair Salon has come under a firestorm of criticism and threats due to their choice of visual images manifested for an ad campaign entitled, “Look Good in All You Do.”

Two young ladies, the owner Sarah Cameron (25 years) and her friend, acting as creative consultant, Tiffany Jackson (27 years) have posted statements on the salon’s blog to clarify their intent and try and bring some sense of calm back into their lives. Tiffany’s mother has also posted a statement, which in itself indicates exactly how young these ladies are simply as business professionals. The salon has since been vandalized and Sarah, herself has been warned by police about her safety and to not be alone.

“Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love... Our aim must never be to defeat or humiliate (the white man), but to win his friendship and understanding.”

“The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. … Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” (Rev. Dr. M.L. King, Jr (1929 – 1968))

A decade ago, 15 and 17 respectively, these lades were both impressionable teenagers. Tiffany disclosed she endured 4 years of abuse at about this same time and is a survivor of domestic violence. Part of the Y generation, or more correctly, the Y-Not Generation, they watched along with the rest of us the transition from “that can only happens in the movies” to... "No, it can happen."

Society must acknowledge that this generation has not yet had the life experiences to temper the acceptable and the unacceptable. They have been born into and/or grown up with terrorism and war. What used to be an R-rated game monitored by parents is now actually broadcast live 24/7. The unreal  - is now real.

It appears this generation is immune to what is offensive and what is not. It is no longer a judgement issue or a moral issue - it is a life experience issue and the individual’s perspective thereof. Fashion, art or any other form of creative expression is deemed through emotions - a catalytic medium for an individual’s perspective reflected and thus subjectively felt by the targeted audience.

To Sarah and Tiffany, if you sincerely wanted to bring awareness to Domestic Violence as you claim, the woman in the photo would be standing - portraying strength; not sitting submissively with a gaunt, terrified look. The man would be in handcuffs with an equally coiffed police officer dragging him away.

That image is one of empowerment. That image is one of strength and that image is one warning anyone who exerts force over another will be arrested. That image is also one this author has personally never ever seen reflected in advertising. (hint, hint)

Ask yourself, Y-Not?

Look good in all you do.

By: Lisa A. MacLeod, Women at Risk Advocate and Founder of Help Open Pandora’s Box