FUNDING PROPOSAL
THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO EXPLORE THE FEMALE VOICE IN THIS TIME OF SEX BEING AT THE FORE FRONT OF ALL CONVERSATIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL TAKE A PLAYFUL LIGHTHEARTED APPROACH TO THE TOPIC AND MAKE IT A PLACE FOR WOMEN TO COMFORTABLY AND CONFIDENTLY EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
“Feminism has been named as the word of the year for 2017 as the media, politics and celebrity culture continue to drive a boom in feminist debate. However, with many women feeling unable to identify with the movement, it is clear that brands can take a more direct role in helping women to define feminism for themselves.�
Brands embrace empowerment messages A growing number of brands are tapping into the feminist wave by creating campaigns centred on female empowerment. However, brands can look to be more overtly feminist in their identity, for instance by explaining modern feminism, making it more approachable for women who may not understand how it fits with their own lives. This could include drawing attention to women who have been particularly successful in business, academia and other traditionally male-dominated fields. It is also important that brands emphasise how feminism does not have a set course, nor can it be fully exemplified by just one type of woman. Montage-type campaigns can therefore help to show the range of women who consider themselves feminists, with the core message being that whether a businesswoman or a stay-athome housewife, the most important thing is that women continue to make these choices for themselves.
#MeToo According to the survey, which used a nationally representative sample of about 2,000 adults, 81 percent of women and 43 percent of men say they have experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault in their lives. People with disabilities were more likely than others to report experiencing harassment and assault, and gay and bisexual men were more likely to report these experiences than straight men.
The most common type of harassment was verbal, according to the survey, with 77 percent of women and 34 percent of men reporting that they had experienced it at some point in their lives. Sixty-two percent of women and 26 percent of men reported physical harassment, including unwelcome sexual touching (51 percent of women and 17 percent of men), being followed (34 percent of women and 12 percent of men), and being shown someone else’s genitals against their will (30 percent of women and 12 percent of men). Forty-one percent of women and 22 percent of men reported harassment by text, phone, or online. Meanwhile, 27 percent of women and 7 percent of men reported experiencing sexual assault.
AUDIENCE This book is a female only publication this is something that both men and women could take something from. I do believe the contents within the book will predominately attract more women than men, I am expecting it to attract a female audience age 18-27. With a growing number of brands tapping into the growing popularity of the female gaze and female empowerment a lot of brands are creating campaigns around female empowerment. This angle appears to resonate with female audiences; 29% of women consider adverts that empower women to be aspirational. I believe this will attract women who are or who are striving to be successful in business, academia and other traditionally male-dominated fields.
PROJECT MY FINAL PROJECT IS A COFFEE TABLE BOOK WHICH WILL EXPLORE THE FEMALE VOICE & SEX IN THE AGE OF #MeToo, AND HOW THIS WILL EFFECT FASHION COMMUNICATIONS TOWARDS THE FEMALE CONSUMER.
CONTENTS OF THE BOOK
The book will include female only contributors, these contributors will be women who are currently communicating their voice. This book is a celebration of how they choose to communicate their voice whether that be through a fashion photography angle or through a literature angle. Although this book welcomes all female voices, the ones we look for, for this book need to compliment one another and bring out the best in each-other. The contributors of the book only need to carry a similar message to what the book is aiming to promote.
With the growing popularity of social media, I believe the best way to market this book would be through a social media presence. Creating it’s own instagram account, in which the contributors can also contribute to the instagram account showcasing the work in the book but also special features of new work they could be currently working on. The instagram would be an ongoing thing which would release tesears as well for if there was a second release of Let’s Talk About Sex Vol.2. Similar to female movements that have created themselves a well-known social media presence, that same will be expected for the book targetting their audience as well as reaching out to people who wouldn’t normally choose the book.
MARKETING THE BOOK
DISTRIBUTION The book industry has turned a new page, after a few years of the publishing industry not doing so well, things have been looking up. Audio books, physical books and bookshops are growing in popularity and in 2017, indie bookshops numbers in the UK saw net growth for the first time in 22 years. The book will be sold and distributed in independant bookshops up and down the UK, supporting small businesses. I believe it being sold in a independant book shop suits the ethos of the book and creates an exclusivitiy around the book, only allowing a handful of book to each shop and once they have gone they’ve gone.