Fashion Models Pose In Shoot With Irritable Bowel Syndrome In Tow
Image via MRM Spain
It’s the job of fashion models to look flawless and professional, but these talents can hardly mask their pain.
Luckily, they’ve been hired by Sanofi-owned Buscopan—a medicine for stomach issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—to front its Fashion Cramps shoot, so appearing uncomfortable is their number-one duty, and looking good amid the irritation is number two. The campaign pokes fun at modeling clichés to exhibit symptoms of IBS, and was debuted at London Fashion Week to take stomach ache relief to high fashion.
In Fashion Cramps, models in designer garb are shown with grimaced faces as they clutch their bellies (though, to be fair, the latter is not at all an uncommon sight in glamorous spreads) to raise awareness about a condition that affects 25 million to 45 million Americans. The unconventional healthcare activation was dreamed up by marketing agency MRM Spain and lensed by fashion photographers at Q&Cumber.
🎯 Titled “Fashion Cramps”, the #ads show models clutching their stomachs in pain due to IBS. Even the descriptions are exactly how they appear in magazine spreads. Zoom in to read about the #Buscopan connect.
— BrandGully (@BrandGully) February 23, 2023
Love this rather unique and fresh approach to #healthcare #marketing pic.twitter.com/KKKAZ4jcOr
Symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain and cramping, bloating, excessive wind, and a change in bowel movements resulting in diarrhea and constipation.
Each print is accompanied by copy describing the model’s outfit, along with a reminder that 10mg Buscopan tablets can alleviate the discomfort.
Félix del Valle, chief creative officer at MRM Spain, points out that healthcare marketing doesn’t necessarily have to appear like healthcare marketing. The agency found London Fashion Week to be an opportune time to promote the medication, as fashion shows can be stressful events that could lead to models suffering some of the problems that Buscopan can treat.
Amusingly, the edit has found placements in fashion print publications like Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Elle, in addition to beign displayed at London fashion hotspots.
Long story short, there will be no more runs at the runway.
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[via Medical, Marketing and Media and Little Black Book, images via MRM Spain]
