I think I like this, although I expect some cat lovers won’t.
The photograph is, of course, copyright protected so I admit to being naughty in publishing it here but…it is interesting (complaint?: please comment). The is one of a series of photos in the Sunday Times Style magazine of last weekend. They don’t give the photographer a credit so I can’t pass it on.
The cats were provided by an agency: Animal Ambassadors. The photographer’s assistant was Jamie Bowering.
In this photo the cat is Jaffa a domestic shorthaired British red tabby cat (I am pleased they mentioned his name). I am sure he is male because orange tabbies usually are, and, anyway, he looks very male. He also looks pretty calm and is behaving nicely looking at the camera. In fact, Jaffa looks very intelligent, almost knowing.
I expect James, the assistant was messing around with a cat tease of some sort to get Jaffa’s attention. The model is either Hannah Hardy or Hannah Kern from Elite. I guess the agency made sure the ladies were cat lovers and non-allergic.
So, what do you think? Is it OK to market jewellry with domestic cats as a central part of the process? Is it exploitation?
My gut feeling is that it is OK because I am sure these cats are rarely called upon to participate like this. Provided it is done sensitively and a cat is not used or abused then on a limited basis this is OK for me.
I think it is a very different situation to Grumpy Cat. Grumpy Cats jaw malformation is being laughed at and exploited while these beautiful random bred cats are in some way being celebrated. They are mixing it with top-end jewellry.
For those interested, Hannah is wearing:
- Satin top £600 (Chloé)
- Trousers £1,750 (Chloé)
- Diamond earrings by Promes at £14,800
- Diamond snake bracelet by Messika at £5,170 (sold at Harrods)
- Cushion-cut sapphire ring (the top one) at £22,300
Top end jewellry and top end cat. You see, they go together. How many cats could be saved and cared for instead of buying a pair of trousers from Chloé?
It is a wonderful tool. This marketing idea is working so amazing! I also decided to use http://truemail.io/blog/a-simple-guide-to-the-ideal-cold-emailing-outreach Emailing Outreach which is helping to find an ideal way to make business profitable, interesting and much more effective.
Ugly bony overdressed model with expensive baubles shown up by beautiful natural cat I don’t see the connection as to why she is holding Jaffa?
Can’t say as I’m impressed by anything in the pic except the gorgeous cat, however the male members of POC might think differently LOL 😉
What makes me very annoyed is that the model is wearing £44,620 of clothes and jewellery while many of the species she is holding are homeless and some starving!
If I had that much money I wouldn’t be spending it on expensive jewellery, I’d be helping more cats with my money.
So no I don’t like this lol surprise surprise
To tell the truth I’d rather get my clothes at a charity shop, it helps the charity and the money I save can help cats.
It wouldn’t ever make me happy to be draped in satin and jewellery.
Jaffa is a handsome boy, I hope he had a good reward for having to pose with that decorated expensively clad woman.
You said it, girl!
I don’t care what other people do with their money. If they want glitz and glamour, so be it! It’s never as satisfying as they think though.
You know that I shop Goodwill also. And, I’m sure that we are as put-together as anyone else when need be.
But, for today, I’m in my secondhand sweat pants and t-shirt and on my way to check my cats.
You are right Dee, people who think expensive clothes and fancy jewellery make them look superior are very wrong. Maybe they feel superior but as you say they don’t know the satisfaction of sharing what they have.
I admire people in charity shop clothes like you, doing good things. Babz and I are proud to wear our bargain outfits and to eventually pass them on for Kays Hill jumble sales, or if they are not decent enough to sell they go to Joyce in our Children in Distress charity shop here who has ‘rag bags’ and weighs them in for money for her charity.
I love how people who care about charities usually help the others like them if they can, Joyce always gives us a raffle prize for our charity Coffee Mornings, no matter if it’s for animals or for people.
That is the big problem with this. I don’t think it is cat abuse or anything like that. It is just about the misplaced priorities of people. People prefer to be extravagant consumers than care for animals.
There’s more glory in glitz!
It’s all about not wanting to be who we really are.
I admire people who pursue a passion outside of themselves, where there is no money or glory to be had.
Yes there are lots of unsung heros and heroines who are passionately kind and generous and I admire them too.
Yes, the real heroes. It does give purpose to life though.
I get my clothes from charity shops. I got most my kitchen and bedroom from charity shops and I give them my unused things too.
The high prices along with the fact that people actually buy it reflects what’s wrong in the world.
I like that, Marc. There are so many treasures in charity shops. The things people discard are amazing.
Well, I don’t find this completely disgusting even though I don’t approve of using cats to promote sales.
I’m more baffled than anything. I don’t get it at all. What is the purpose of a model holding a cat? Is it supposed to make the jewelry and apparel more appealing?
Assuming that Jaffa isn’t declawed, I wonder how many readers were wondering what could happen to that pricy silk blouse should he begin to knesd. LOL!
Hi Dee. I think this is an attempt to jump on the popularity of the internet cat to sell expensive female products. It is funny that the cat is a cult on the internet but not in real life. In real life there is some good and some bad.