Gold Coast influencer Kat Clark has sparked controversy again after launching her debut skincare line Kalade.

The mother-of-two, who has more than 6 million TikTok followers, launched the brand last month to great success, selling her entire stock within ten minutes.

However, not every customer is happy with Kalade’s advertising methods, thanks to a very rude photo of Kat posing with a box of skincare products next to her daughters Letisha, 20, and Deja, 12.

In the image, used to advertise the $120 Kalade ‘OG Kit’, Letisha and Deja are seen posing with their middle fingers pointed towards the camera.

On Sunday, Kalade’s Instagram page shared a photo of a customer’s online complaint about the ad, which read: “I hate this because the girls in the photo are giving the middle finger.”

Kalade replied by captioning the post with ‘Womp womp’ – a slang term used to respond to a minor disappointment or problem.

However, it seems some customers enjoyed her daughters’ decision to flip the bird, as another commenter wrote: ‘Omg Deja and Letisha middle finger [laughing/crying emoji]. I’m such a big fan’.

It comes after Kat raised eyebrows when she shared a video of herself crying after hearing that mega-influencer Anna Paul was about to launch her skincare brand Paullie at the same time as hers.

In the now viral video, which was uploaded last month, Kat broke down as she admitted she ‘felt like a failure’ and was ‘scared’ by the prospect of competing with Anna.

Unimpressed TikTok users have since labeled Kat’s video ’embarrassing’ and ‘cringe’, with one commenting: ‘That to me is selfishness and jealousy… can’t she be happy that others are successful? Ew.”

‘Right? Like, I love her, but she didn’t have to make a whole video about this,” one person agreed.

Yet another added: “Imagine a grown woman. A so-called CEO of a company, making a crying video because of other people’s business. What is happening to society?’

It was this comment that struck a chord with Kat, as she returned to TikTok days later with a video responding to the user who wrote the comment.

“You’ve probably seen the videos and comments of people mocking me for crying. People say I manipulate people, that I’m ashamed, that I fake cry,” Kat said angrily.

‘This is what I do. I share my life with you, and that’s exactly what I do in business. It’s just that I can only start posting about it now.’

Kat went on to point out that everyone – including CEOs – has feelings, and that she has every right to be emotional since she invested “all her money” and “remortgaged her house” to start her business .

“Imagine if you raised so much money to invest in something, and a month later someone has the same idea,” Kat said.

“I recorded that to maybe help other small business owners and let them know they’re not alone.”

However, it appears her concerns about launching her brand are unfounded as Kat revealed days later that her products were selling so quickly that she needed extra help.

‘Kalade is looking for new people. Temporary employment. Packing orders, assisting with customer emails, PA to Kat,” the brand posted on Instagram Stories.

Kat has also bragged about her brand’s sell-out success since then, posting a photo of her husband packing orders in their living room on Instagram Stories.

‘Packed until 1.30am and probably planning to do the same tonight [melting face emoji,’ she wrote. 

A day earlier, Kat had uploaded a video of herself and her daughters reacting to the news that Kalade’s entire product range had sold out within ten minutes of launching.  

By Ellen Coughlan for Mailonline

Published: 02:55 EST, February 22, 2024 | Updated: 03:12 EST, February 22, 2024

By Ellen Coughlan for Mailonline

Published: 02:37 EST, January 30, 2024 | Updated: 02:51 EST, January 30, 2024

A glamorous entrepreneur who became the first person to receive six offers on Dragons’ Den has been accused of ‘selling snake oil’ and preying on the ‘most vulnerable and horribly ill people in society’.

Giselle Boxer, 31, from Sheffield, appeared on the BBC show last week and asked for £50,000 for a 10 per cent stake in her business, Acu Seeds.

The mother of one said she set up the business, which sells £30 gold plated ear seeds, while on maternity leave, after she used a similar product to ‘cure herself from ME’.

She received the offer for the full amount from five of the dragons but settled on a smaller offer – £50,000 for 12.5 per cent of the business – from Steven Bartlett, 31,  because she is ‘spiritual’ and ‘was told she was going to meet an important man called Steven’.

But now various doctors and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) sufferers have hit out at the BBC and the business for promoting an alternative medicine with no scientific evidence it can help ME or fatigue.

Both Ms Boxer and Mr Bartlett have been contacted for comment. 

The ME association has reported Acu Seeds to the Advertising Standards Agency and written to the BBC and chairman of the Commons culture, media and sport committee and chairman of the health and social care committee.

‘People who have ME/CFS are often on very low incomes and in the absence of any effective medical treatment are very vulnerable to these sort of unsubstantiated therapeutic claims.

‘They are fed up with the way in which unproven and expensive treatments are regularly being promoted to them.

‘This programme has therefore caused a great deal of upset and anger in the ME/CFS [Chronic Fatigue Syndrome] patient community,’ the letter reads.

It adds that during Dragons’ Den none of the panel asked any questions about ‘validity Acu Seeds in ME/CFS and whether there was any scientific evidence of safety and efficacy for this product’.  

Dr Charles Shepard, Hon Medical Advisor for The ME Association, said: ‘The way in which Dragons’ Den has been used to promote an unproven treatment for ME/CFS has, not surprisingly, caused a great deal of upset and concern in the ME patient community.

‘People with ME/CFS are fed up with the way in which products like this are regularly being promoted when there is no sound evidence from proper placebo-controlled clinical trials to confirm that they are safe and effective.

‘These sort of expensive commercial products and devices should not be promoted to very vulnerable sick people until they have been properly assessed for safety and efficacy in clinical trials – in exactly the same way that drug treatments are.’

And he’s not the only doctor pushing back against the product.

Dr. Edzard Ernst, an MD and PhD who specialising in research around alternative medicines said there is ‘no good evidence’ to support any of her claims.

‘There is no sound evidence that these acupressure devices are effective for ME or other conditions.

‘To give severely suffering patients false hope is unethical; to take money from it is despicable, in my view. 

‘I am disappointed that the BBC uses a light entertainment programme for misleading gullible consumers and desperate patients. I hope in future the BBC might do a minimum of research before broadcasting overt medical nonsense,’ he told FEMAIL.

Other people who suffer from ME and chronic fatigue syndrome have taken to social media to complain.

One TikToker, called Rebecca, who shares videos about her ME  said: ‘As if it’s not bad enough she’s bragging about buying them for £3 and selling them for £30, with her gigantic gross and net margins, well it turns out she’s also selling people in her club snake oil’.

Another, Ollie Benson, who has ME,  likened the Dragons’ investment to ‘scamming cancer patients’ and branded the business ‘highly unethical’.

‘The BBC has backed, endorsed and advertised this business to millions of people worldwide’.

Ollie says ME turned him from a competitive swimmer and water polo player to someone who could ‘barely walk up the stairs’

‘Gisele, and now Steven Bartlett are preying on some of the most vulnerable, horribly ill people in society, misleading them, lying to them and taking advantage of their sheer desperation, all for their own financial gain. 

Others have taken to X and Facebook to complain saying the Dragons are after a ‘quick money grab’.

A BBC spokesperson said: ‘Dragons’ Den features products from entrepreneurs and is not an endorsement of them. 

‘Dragons’ Den shows real businesses pitching to investors to lift the lid on what happens in the business world. This episode features an entrepreneur sharing their own, personal experience that led to a business creation.’

In the episode, Giselle said she went form being an advertising executive with a busy social life to unable to leave the house.

She says she was diagnosed with ME and told by doctors she would never recover or be able to have children.   

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) causes extreme tiredness, sleeping problems and brain fog, in less than 12 months with the help of acupuncture and Chinese ear seeds. 

Giselle then became pregnant. There is no evidence that ME reduces fertility rates but some related ailments — such as irregular periods and endometriosis — can make it harder to conceive.

She gave up her career in advertising to become a stay-at-home mother. While on maternity leave, she decided to launch her own ear seed business.

She spent 18 months building her business using just £5,000 of her own savings and managed to make a healthy profit her first year.

The mother of a three-year-old daughter then made Dragons’ Den history as she became the first contestant to get an offer from all six judges.

In her pitch, she said: ‘My business is the ideal mix of beauty and wellness. Today, I am asking for £50,000 investment for 10 per cent of my business. 

‘Four years ago I was diagnosed with ME. I went from working in a top advertising agency with a busy social life and exercising regularly to being mostly housebound and being unable to walk more than five minutes without having to get back into bed.

‘I was told by doctors that I would never recover, work again or have children. I went on a personal healing journey using diet, acupuncture, Chinese herbs and ear seeds. 

‘Using this combination, I believe, helped me recover in less than 12 months. 

‘Soon after, I felt pregnant and it was while on maternity leave that I setup Acu Seeds after realising there was a gap in the market for ear seed kits for people to use at home’.

Ear seeds were invented by Dr. Paul Nogier in the 1950s and are similar to an ancient Chinese medicine tool, which uses the principles of acuprssure but without the needles. 

Giselle said: ‘They are tiny beads that stick onto the ear applying pressure on to nerve endings. 

‘They send signals to the brain and body to relax the nervous system, release endorphins and naturally relieve pain. 

‘I work on this business for three days a week and spend the rest of my time working with my three-year-old daughter.’

During the pitch, Giselle put an ear seed on Deborah Meaden’s which are to be left on for five days. 

Giselle told the dragons that the ear seeds she was using in her battle with chronic illness were not ‘very beautiful’ and were ’embarrassing’ to have on your ear. This inspired her to design her own more discreet ear seeds.

She has been running the business for 18 months and generated £92,000 in revenue in her first year and a healthy £64,000 net profit – which the dragons found very impressive. 

She spent £5,000 of her own savings to get the business off the ground and took a £31,000 salary – and still managed a healthy net profit.

Sara Davies said: ‘Honestly, I have nothing to fault you on. That is all shaping up really well so far.’

Asked about her vision for the brand, Giselle said she wants it to be ‘as big as it can possibly be’. 

She said: ‘When I got pregnant, I thought I wanted to be a stay-at-home mum because I had been working in marketing which I didn’t have much passion with.’

But she has found she is very passionate about her business.

Gary Neville said he couldn’t go home if he didn’t invest as his mother, sister, wife and two girls would ‘never forgive’ him. He offered her all the money – £50,000 for 10 per cent of the company.

Deborah Meaden said she ‘it would almost be rude’ not to offer her all the money for 10 per cent of the business.

All the other judges offered Giselle what she was asking for – apart from Diary of a CEO host Steven Bartlett who offered her £50,000 for 15 per cent. 

He said she was ‘un-uninvestable’ and made the case that he was ‘the dragon to take on the business’. 

He offered her the money she wanted for a bigger stake in the business – 15 per cent.

To which, Peter Jones quipped, ‘oh, you don’t want it then’ while Gary Neville said: ‘He’s not a dragon, he’s a snake’.

Steven calmly responded: ‘You can see from the reaction of these two… it says something doesn’t it.

‘I’ll leave it at that because I know what I can do for this business.’

It is the first time in Dragons’ Den history that all the judges made an offer to invest.

‘I don’t know if you believe in spirituality and all this stuff but I was told I was going to meet a man called Steven and that he was going to be really important.  

‘This was before any of this happened. So, I would really like to work with you [Steven].

She asked if he would be ‘flexible’ on his 15 per cent offer and asked if he could do 12.5 per cent — which he accepted. 

The new business partners embraced before Giselle said partnering with Steven was a ‘complete dream come true’. 

Giselle said: ‘I feel like I want to cry. I just want to make my daughter proud’.

Crown Princess Mary will become the world’s first Australian-born queen when her mother-in-law abdicates the Danish throne in two weeks time.

Margrethe II caused shock when she announced in a speech on New Year’s Eve that she would be stepping down as monarch after 52 years.

She will be succeeded by her son, Crown Prince Frederik, on January 14. 

It means his wife Mary, whom he first met at a pub in Sydney, will soon become the world’s first Australian-born queen.

The 51-year-old was working as an advertising executive when she first met Frederik in a packed city pub 23 years ago and had no idea the handsome European tourist she had been chatting to for hours was actually the future king of Denmark.

Now, married for 19 years and proud parents to four children, Mary has won her adopted country over by her dedication to royal duty and her fluency in the language. 

Gossip magazines in both Denmark and Australia have published speculation about the state of the royal couple’s marriage over the years, but there is nothing concrete to suggest they are anything but happily married. 

The couple’s relationship was most recently scrutinised after photographs emerged of Frederik, 55, enjoying a night out with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova in Madrid in October. But despite rumours of an alleged ‘affair’, Frederik and Mary made a show of unity as they headed into Aarhus cathedral on Christmas Eve.

Mary Donaldson was 28 years old when she met Frederik in the Slip Inn in Sydney 23 years ago. 

After the pub encounter, then 32-year-old Fred – who was in Australia to support Denmark’s sailing team at the 2000 Olympics – asked Mary for her phone number and a romance blossomed.

‘The first time we met we shook hands. I didn’t know he was the prince of Denmark. Half an hour later someone came up to me and said, “Do you know who these people are”?’ Mary revealed in an interview about meeting the heir to the Danish throne.

They maintained a long-distance relationship for a year, with Frederik making secret trips Down Under before Mary moved to Denmark to study Danish language at Copenhagen’s Studieskolen in 2001.

In early 2003, Frederik’s mother Queen Margrethe publicly acknowledged the relationship and the couple announced their engagement at Amalienborg Castle later that year on October 8.

Frederik and Mary married on May 14, 2004 at Copenhagen Cathedral, with the newly minted Crown Princess opting for a beautiful gown by Danish designer Uffer Frank and a veil first used by Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden in 1905.

In a nod to her heritage, Mary carried a bouquet of Australian snow gum eucalyptus interspersed with blooms from the Palace garden.

At the altar, Frederik announced: ‘From today, Mary is mine and I am hers. I love her, and I will protect her with all my love.’

Their first child, Prince Christian Valdemar Henri John, was born October 15, 2005; Princess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe followed on April 21, 2007.

Almost four years later Mary and Frederik welcomed twins, Princess Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda and Prince Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen on January 8, 2011.

Standing on the hospital steps, a beaming Frederik declared: ‘It’s a miracle.’

The family has returned to Mary’s native Australia on many occasions, visiting famous landmarks in Sydney, Canberra and the Northern Territory and even spending Christmas Down Under.

The sporting event which brought them together continues to hold a special place in their hearts, with the couple attending the Olympics in Athens in 2004, Beijing in 2008, Vancouver in 2010, London in 2012 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016. 

In 2009, Frederik was appointed to the International Olympic Committee – a role he has had ever since.

In October 2019, Mary was named regent in a historic move by Queen Margrethe. The title gave the Princess power to perform duties as head of state when the 80-year-old monarch is overseas or otherwise engaged.

Between raising her children and appearing at diplomatic events, Mary has worked tirelessly to prove her commitment to charity, becoming a patron of more than 25 international organisations since her marriage to Frederik in 2004. 

Patronages include the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe and the United Nations Population Fund, where she supports their work to promote maternal health in more than 150 developing nations.

In 2007, the Princess launched The Mary Foundation, a charity focused on stamping out domestic violence, bullying and loneliness.

Mary will soon become Queen of Denmark when her husband Frederik takes the crown.

Queen Margrethe announced during her traditional New Year’s Eve speech that she will abdicate on January 14 next year after 52 years on the throne.

The monarch, famed for her chain-smoking as well as her flamboyant sense of style, will be succeeded by her eldest son Crown Prince Frederik.

The 83-year-old queen, who took over the throne in 1972, is the longest-serving monarch in Europe following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.

In February, she underwent a successful back surgery.

‘The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future – whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation,’ she said in her speech.

‘I have decided that now is the right time. On January 14, 2024, 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father, I will step down as Queen of Denmark.

‘I leave the throne to my son, Crown Prince Frederik.’

News of her abdication comes just months after the Danish Royal Family has been shaken by rumours of an alleged ‘affair’ between Frederik and Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova.

Photos published by Spanish magazine Lecturas in October that showed Prince Frederik out for the evening in Madrid with the 47-year-old socialite.

The newspaper published the photos and alleged the pair had spent the evening at a bodega in the Spanish capital where they watched flamenco dancing and dined into the early hours. 

Since the photos emerged Mary has remained tight-lipped about her husband’s dinner with the socialite, and the pair have adopted a ‘business as normal’ attitude during public appearances. 

Days before Christmas, the mum-of-four shared a cryptic post about loneliness and the need for positive human connection during the festive season. 

The post came after the Princess reconnected with Frederik and three of their children in New Zealand during an unofficial getaway.

In the letter which was posted on the Mary Foundation website the future queen reflects on the past year – and says she felt it was shorter than previous years.

‘And at the same time, so much has happened that it is impossible to put it all into words,’ she continued.

An excerpt posted on the official Instagram of the Danish Royal House had some speculating the princess was using her foundation to hint at the ‘affair’ rumours. 

‘We need each other if we are to succeed.’ And that’s not only true in the working world and for those of us who are working to combat social isolation,’ it read.

‘This is true for all of us. Humans need humans.’

The post and powerful words were pictured alongside a gorgeous picture of the royal in the snow.

Frederik and Mary were also spotted holding hands at a Christmas Eve church service at Marselisborg Castle with their four children Prince Christian, 18, Princess Isabella, 16, Prince Vincent, and Princess Josephine, both 12.

According, according to Hola!, Frederik’s private trip to Spain was to enjoy art exhibitions, watch flamenco and visit new restaurants.

It is believed that he had planned to attend the Picasso exhibition with a mutual friend he shares with Genoveva – however at the last minute, the friend was unable to go and asked Genoveva to attend in his place. 

After visiting the exhibition at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, the pair walked through El Retiro Park, before heading to El Corral de la Morería for dinner.

Genoveva has since hit back at ‘malicious’ rumours she was romantically involved with the heir to the Danish throne.

A statement from the socialite said: ‘I categorically deny the statements that suggest a romantic relationship between Prince Frederick and me.’

She added: ‘Any statement of this type not only completely lacks the truth but also misrepresents the facts in a malicious manner. 

‘This is already in the hands of my lawyers, who will take care of the pertinent steps to protect my right to honour, truth and privacy.’

Netflix’s Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim is being sued by an advertising mogul who claims the TV reality personality deliberately hid serious defects in a $5million Los Angeles mansion, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Philip Berardi, chief executive of the city’s biggest billboard company, is demanding substantial damages from Oppenheim and other defendants after allegedly discovering his new home was riddled with problems that landed him with $1.7million in repairs.

Oppenheim, 46, is accused of ‘fraud and concealment’ and committing ‘intentional misrepresentations’ while being ‘fully aware’ of the issues as listing agent for the six-bathroom, three-bedroom pad sold in February, 2023.

The star has gained national fame with the Netflix show that revolves around his high-end real estate brokerage firm The Oppenheim Group – with seven seasons since its 2019 premiere.

But in papers filed to the California Superior Court in Los Angeles, both he and his company are accused by Berardi of covering up the true condition of the 4,668 sq. ft. home and breaching contractual obligations.

Oppenheim did not respond to ailyMail.com’s request for comment. 

Berardi, who runs advertising giant Regency, is also suing sellers Brett Ersoff and his wife Lisa plus real estate firm Coldwell Banker, Richter Roofing, LaRocca Inspections and CMF Home Builders, according to documents obtained by DailyMail.com.

The papers also allege that nearly five years before the sale of the house in exclusive Hillside Avenue, the Ersoffs had a proposal from Richter which outlined work on the low, sloping flat roofed areas – but the work was never carried out.

Berardi’s court papers say he only discovered problems with the impressive cube-style home after two serious rainstorms shortly after he moved in.

On the first, water leaked from the ceilings of three bedrooms. Water also pooled on a floor.

A water damage company began work, but during the second storm the same areas leaked, plus a second location in the master bedroom.

This time the restoration firm opened the master bedroom ceiling and discovered a large plastic bowl that had overflowed in the second storm, says the filing.

In addition, mold and fungus were found under plywood decks above the master bedroom ‘as a direct result of the defective conditions of the property’.

The paperwork adds: ‘An approximately five-foot gutter with a cap at the end was also discovered in the ceiling of the master bedroom, which was apparently installed to capture water from the leaking defective deck situated above the master bedroom.’

Decking on the roof appears angular in places, but the paperwork says the angle was not enough to shift water off it ‘causing extreme damage to the property and the presence of mold and fungus.

‘Additionally, the water damage resulted in severe dry-rot damage to the front end of the property’s deck, as well as termite infestations.’

And five months later, Berardi discovered what he alleges was another cover-up of a serious problem after finding the floor of a garage closet housing a tankless water heater was wet. The advertising mogul saw blue painters’ tape that held rags in place on the hot water reservoir tank.

‘Defendants Ersoffs and/or Oppenheim defendants placed the rags under the tank to collect water to conceal the leak in the tank that had been previously noted in an inspection report and made part of a request for repairs,’ said the filing.

A construction forensic expert was called in and found ‘a multitude of defects and issues that not only compromised safety at the property, but also imposed significant financial burdens to Berardi’, it added.

Estimated repairs costs are $1.7million according to the expert ‘and constitutes only a portion of the damages being pursued’, adds the court filing.

The complaint continued: ‘Considering these profoundly disturbing revelations, it is evident the property’s condition at the time of purchase was not accurately disclosed.

‘This situation has left Berardi in a severe state of distress, financial burden and uncertainty regarding the safety of this significant purchase and investment.’

It concluded: ‘The acts and conducts of the Ersoffs and Oppenheim defendants were extreme and outrageous and have caused Berardi to suffer severe anxiety, emotional and mental distress.

‘Defendants committed these acts and engaged in misconduct knowingly,  intentionally and willfully… additionally defendants acted in reckless disregard of the probability that their actions and conduct would cause severe and mental distress.’

LaRocca Inspections did point out problems with the roof following an analysis of the house while the purchase was going through. But it allegedly didn’t ‘disclose the true issues’ regarding water leaks in the property or ‘prior, significant damage… due to mold and fungus’.

The company also discovered moisture damage on the outside front of the house and cracking in the exterior stucco ‘which were not properly revealed to Berardi’.

It’s claimed the cracked stucco is due to a previous problem with construction and the Ersoffs ‘patched cracks… to hide defects from Berardi’.

The sellers knew of problems with the roof, decks, patios, drainage, sewage, workmanship, plumbing, electrical systems fixtures and other issues but never ‘properly disclosed’ them to the buyer, it is alleged.

Coldwell Banker Realty was the broker for the buyer, who put down $1,853,000 deposit and financed the rest with a $2.9million loan.

Berardi is demanding a jury trial and damages, plus punitive damages from Oppenheim and the Ersoffs.

Berardi’s attorney Eric Strongin told DailyMail.com: ‘When you buy a home from someone, and especially when there are licensed and reputable brokers involved, you expect full disclosure of any major issues with the home. In fact, California law requires it.

‘In this case, one example of the evidence we have thus far suggests that a large bowl was deliberately concealed within the ceiling of the home to catch water that would leak into the ceiling from a deck above. Someone obviously knew the decks leaked and went to great lengths to avoid fixing the problem and concealed it before selling the home to Mr. Berardi.’

Californian native Oppenheim founded his real estate brokerage with twin brother Brett and the pair come from a realty dynasty started by great-great-grandfather Jacob Stern.

Selling Sunset follows their agents as they push high-end properties to super-wealthy and celebrity buyers. Its most expensive current listing is a five-bedroom, nine-bathroom estate for nearly $40million – also on Hillside Avenue.

The brokerage is also selling a $30million Spanish-style estate with five bedrooms and nine bathrooms in Coronado, near San Diego, describing it as ‘one of the most sought-after exclusive properties in Southern California’.

But Oppenheim – also starring in spin-off Netflix series Selling the OC, which premiered in 2022 – boasted last week to Fox News that more mega properties will soon be on the books.

‘We have fine listings coming on the market in the next 45 days, all at $30million or above, one north of 100. So we’ve never had so many luxury listings coming on board.

‘I think it’ll make great television, it’ll be great to see if we can sell those. And I think it’s great for the Oppenheim Group. We’re pushing into the luxury market even in this difficult time.’

And he admitted Selling Sunset was a marketing winner, but saying: ‘There’s certainly more buyers and seller that reach out to the brokerage, to myself and to other agents, because of the show. So I think it deserves due credit.

‘I think that is definitely added fuel to the fire in terms of our growth trajectory.’

By Katie Hind Consultant Editor Showbusiness

Published: 6:17 PM EST, December 23, 2023 | Updated: 6:21 PM EST, December 23, 2023

Women’s empowerment and representation have been buzzwords of late for brand campaigns – and yet one advertising organisation has claimed that ‘sneaky sexism’ is heavily on display in modern-day commercials.

We’ve all seen the vintage adverts from the ‘Mad Men’ days and laughed in disbelief at how sexist they were.

Inspired by 100 years of Women in Advertising and Communications Leadership (WACL), Channel 4’s recent Mad Women documentary contained such gems as breakfast cereals urging men to ‘train your wife’ and wondering ‘what her waistline will be like in 5 years time’. 

Elsewhere, housewives were apparently delighted that they could do the washing up four times a day and still have soft, ladylike hands, or got so excited at fresh-smelling carpets that they couldn’t help but sing and dance about it.

Certainly, we’ve come a long way since those days, when advertisers in the ’50s and ’60s based in Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, would delight in using stereotypes to promote products.

But adland’s depiction of women hasn’t changed as much as it appears, according to WACL, a UK-based club of female leaders in advertising and communications on a mission to improve gender equality in the industry. 

Women account for over 80 per cent of all consumer purchase decisions, says the organisation, yet 91 per cent say advertisers don’t understand them and they don’t feel represented in the images they see every day.

But it’s not just a commercial issue – six out of ten women apparently believe advertising plays an important role in challenging stereotypes in society more broadly too.

In its 100th year, WACL’s 300 plus senior women in advertising and communications are determined to amplify the voices of women who want the industry to #RepresentMe better – and spoke to young girls aged 12-18 to see what they demanded from future ads.

It included bringing awareness to women’s safety, ditching outdated stereotypes and allowing females to appear in more than just ‘sweet’ or ‘sexy’ imagery.

Here, WACL’s Comms Exec lead, author of No More Menemies and Founder of The Others & Me, Lori Meakin reveals the modern-day ads guilty of ‘sneaky sexism’ and other issues… 

1. DISMISSING PERSONAL SAFETY 

Samsung Galaxy ‘Night Owls’ from 2022 

In April 2022, a Samsung advert featuring a woman jogging alone at night in London, with headphones on, was branded ‘tone deaf’ by viewers.

Critics – who claim ‘women wouldn’t feel safe doing that’ – said the one-minute ad plugging the Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Buds 2 and the Galaxy SS2 phone was ‘naive’ and ‘insulting’.

The commercial – called Night Owls – sees a sporty woman checking her watch at 2am, before putting in earbuds and heading out into the dark for a night-time jog in the British capital.

Lori explained: ‘The ever-present threat of sexual violence in real life means that when ads simply appear oblivious to women’s safety worries, they come in for massive criticism. 

‘Samsung discovered this after its Night Owls ad featured a woman in headphones running through the city late at night, prompting Adidas to create an ad of its own shining a light on how ridiculous it is that 92 per cent of women don’t feel safe going for a run.’

In a statement, Samsung told Femail: ‘The “Night Owls” campaign was designed with a positive message in mind: to celebrate individuality and freedom to exercise at all hours.

‘It was never our intention to be insensitive to ongoing conversations around women’s safety.

‘As a global company with a diverse workforce, we apologise for how this may have been received.’

Sainsbury’s Tu ‘Strolls after dark’ from January 2023 

In January 2023, Sainsbury’s bowed to public anger and removed from stores a dress advert that sparked furious complaints that the supermarket was ignoring women’s safety.

It had installed posters in hundreds of stores across the country for a £24 dress from its new collection with the caption: ‘For walks in the parks or strolls after dark.’

Bosses apologised and had the posters taken down after a furious backlash on social media.

Lori said: ‘Such is the level of concern that even a seemingly innocuous Sainsbury’s Tu ad ended up being removed from stores after it was heavily criticised for making light of the dangers women face when walking alone at night. 

‘Clearly, women’s concerns about personal safety are not to be underestimated by advertisers.’

2. MORE SPACE GIVEN TO MEN… EVEN IN CARTOONS 

Christmas 2023 adverts like Aldi’s, John Lewis’ and Coca-Cola’s 

Women make up just 37 per cent of the people who appear in adverts, according to BusinessDIT, while only 26 per cent of ads feature women in a lead role – and 5 per cent include only females on screen, whereas five times as many boast just men.

Lori noted that this is plain to see in this year’s Christmas adverts – including Asda’s cheerful commercial that includes Michael Bublé as their leading man, Rick Astley featuring in Sainsbury’s offering and Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in the M&S Food ad.

‘Coca-Cola singlehandedly boosted the male numbers with its ‘The World Needs More Santas’ ad,’ claimed the author.

‘And although Boots, Vodafone, Sainsbury’s and Amazon all use leading ladies, we see numerous male celebs including Michael Bublé, Graham Norton, Rick Astley and even Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney joining Dawn French for M&S. 

‘Which brings us to hon-human characters. John Lewis’s Venus Fly Trap Snapper is sold as a ‘he’, just like Monty the Penguin, Buster the Boxer, Moz the Monster and Edgar The Dragon were.

‘And one of the most successful and popular ads of the season features Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot, who’s been a big hit for the last few years.’

Released in November, Aldi’s festive ad this year saw Kevin The Carrot tour William Conker’s Christmas factory with the likes of spoilt little sprout and greedy, gluttonous grape.

It marked Kevin’s eighth year as the budget supermarket’s festive mascot.

Narrated by acting legend Jim Broadbent in the style of a poem, the advert tells the story of Kevin’s trip to the factory alongside Grandpa Grate and four other competition winners.

But Lori said: ‘Imagine if the norm was for half of advertising’s non-human characters to be female. It’s true that you can’t be what you can’t see, and the power of ads to break down barriers for women is huge.

‘Maybe it’s no wonder we don’t see more in ads, though, as in the UK, only 12 per cent of creative directors are female, according to Creative Equals. 

‘Even if the current rate of change doubled, we wouldn’t achieve WACL’s ambition of 50 per cent women in the top job in agencies until 2045.’

3. WOMEN SEEN IN ‘CARING’ ROLES MORE

UK Government’s 2021 ‘Stay Home. Save Lives’ ad 

In 2021, the UK Government was forced to withdraw a ‘sexist’ lockdown poster following a furious backlash over its depiction of women.

The poster showed one picture of a woman reclining in a man’s arms on the sofa followed by three images of women looking after children and cleaning. 

One image illustrated a woman ironing while holding a baby, another showed a mother homeschooling her children and one depicted a woman wearing rubber gloves with her daughter sweeping the floor. 

But it sparked outrage among campaigners, who said: ”Mums’ are not the only people juggling homes, childcare and work. This attitude sucks.’

The poster was withdrawn amid increasing fury on social media. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘It has been withdrawn and removed from the campaign.

‘I will make clear that it does not reflect the Government’s view on women which is why we have withdrawn it.’

The schoolgirls WACL spoke with didn’t ‘like ads boxing women into kitchens and caring roles, as it gave boys and men ammunition to tell them that’s where they belonged,’ said Lori. 

4. TYPECAST AS PRETTY, SEXY OR SWEET

Lancome x The Louvre, ‘Beauty is a Living Art’, from 2023 and Kaia Gerber for Daisy, Marc Jacobs

The schoolgirls WACL chatted to apparently said they’d love if adverts didn’t objectify women and adopt a ‘really narrow view of what looking good means’.

Lori added: ‘Too often ads play the old shame game, suggesting that women should be thin, young, classically beautiful, with perfect hair, no body hair; and they should perform for the male gaze. 

‘Like Lancome x The Louvre, which features impossibly beautiful young women including Zendaya, wafting around like living works of art.

‘Female characters in ads are four times more likely to be shown in revealing clothing than men, and twice as likely to be visually or verbally objectified, with a quarter of all ads that feature women presenting them in a sexualised way.

‘Meanwhile, in perfume ads, for instance, middle aged men can be rugged and drive the action, while women can be sexy or sweet, but not much else.’

She notes Johnny Depp for Dior Sauvage and Brad Pitt for Chanel no 5, compared to Whitney Peake for Chanel Coco Mademoiselle and Kaia Gerber for Daisy, Marc Jacobs.