After an obsolete brand culture of catwalk shows and declining sales, Victoria’s Secret has finally realized that its products cater to women’s needs and not men’s fantasies, as was erroneously projected by the brand in the past. It also fueled a certain amount of body shaming in young women and girls as it projected the female human figure unrealistically and in a harmful way. The company has finally appointed diverse women to promote its lingerie brand.
After Martin Waters was appointed this February, the company is trying to rebrand itself.
Whether it is too little too late or will the new brand ambassadors succeed in reversing the old image, only time will tell. The diverse women achievers who are now the brand ambassadors according to a report by Page Six will not have to pose in their lingerie. Instead, they will promote the brand in marketing podcasts.
The diverse women who are not glamorous “angels” but are models of achievement as well are as follows:
- Priyanka Chopra Jones – actress, activist, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
- Megan Rapinoe – American soccer player and advocate for numerous LGBTQ organizations
- Valentina Sampaio – first transgender model to appear on Sports Illustrated
- Paloma Elsesser – model for plus size women and inclusivity
- Adut Akech – Sudanese Australian model
A source told Page Six that the group of women chosen by VS inspired change and positivity. Another insider said that the brand has been stuck in an era that never evolved.
Changes towards an inclusive brand slowly began to evolve after the former marketing officer Ed Razek left the brand saying that people were not interested in seeing plus sized or transgender models and admitted that the annual Victoria’s Secret Show was a “fantasy.” He had lost touch with the needs of his customers as he got lost in his own marketing fantasy.
The brand took further steps towards looking at its major customers – women after Leslie Wexner stepped down from the board of L Brands in May. He had ties with the disgraced sex predator Jeffrey Epstein. He is facing a lawsuit filed in January by L Brand shareholders for his alleged involvement with the pedophile.
Since February with Waters in charge and the exits of Razek and Wexner, Victoria’s Secret is looking to rebrand itself to meet the needs of its consumers with its inclusive and pragmatic approach of looking into the needs of its customers instead of glamorous and glitzy catwalks and ad campaigns.
