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