Did you happen to see the ads they mailed out for the new Threshold line at Target? And did you happen to notice the source of some of the inspiration that appeared at their door? The ad is quite lovely. The beauty of the wild outdoors and the order of the domesticated indoors are brought together in glorious, if fanciful, harmony. Note for example, the swan swimming in the footed bathtub (that “little special something”).
But it was the images of women that caught my eye and made me wonder about the message that was being conveyed, because these women are taking their cues from Walt Disney.
Let’s take a quick look. First in the bedroom…
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And then in the kitchen:
Now, if there’s already a swan in your bathtub and a bird in the bedroom, there’s nothing strange about a deer in the kitchen. But look at this woman’s feet:
The way she’s standing and the dark soles of her shoes make it clear to me that she is becoming one with nature in ways that don’t make me entirely comfortable. On the other hand, maybe if she’s clever, she can get some help cleaning the house.
Just a little creepy!
…or maybe just a little clever, depending on how one feels about marketing. And let’s not forget the TV ad (also for Target and–I think–Threshold) with its ivied bedroom wall. RovingLibrarian, is there a comparable WD/Snow White cel?
Two additional aspects interest me: (1) the model’s clothes resemble SW’s in color…right down to those strappy sandals; and (2) the deer and the swan are very life-like, while the birds make no pretense of being real at all.
You know, I wondered if this was playing off Annie Liebovitz’ Disney Dream Portraits. Take a look here:
http://www.insidethemagic.net/2011/03/photo-archive-latest-in-the-annie-leibovitz-disney-dream-portrait-series-capturing-celebrities-as-colorful-disney-characters/
I hadn’t seen the TV ad before, but it’s up on YouTube (Thank you Internet! And thanks Cathy for pointing it out!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoJSmuzF1RA
as is a “Meet the Designers” piece. A very interesting commercial idea–a mini-documentary to tell the story and humanize the product.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bDRMjWZURg
Over 12,000 people have viewed it too. Something must be working.