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Plus Size Brunette Models Sell More Than Slim Blondes

Lingerie brand Adore Me finds that adverts featuring larger ladies generated four times as many sales as those starring typical blonde models

Not only are blonde lingerie models some of the most unrelatable figures in the media, they’re actually not doing anything to boost sales when it comes to lingerie.

Brunette plus size models sell more. Sorry Candice. [Adore Me/Victoria's Secret]
Brunette plus size models sell more. Sorry Candice. [Adore Me/Victoria's Secret]


Underwear brand Adore Me has found that plus-size brunette models sell more products than their impossibly slim counterparts.

The US company made the discovery after producing three TV adverts – one featuring blonde, stereotypically slim models, one featuring brunette models and a third ad starring plus-size brunette models.

This is where it gets a bit Mad Men…

Adore Me then showed the ads to a sample of participants in and A/B testing situation, commonly used in advertising to measure the buying habits and preferences of customers.

Adverts featuring brunette plus size models generated four times as many sales as those with slim blonde models [Adore Me]
Adverts featuring brunette plus size models generated four times as many sales as those with slim blonde models [Adore Me]


They found that the third advert, the one featuring the plus-size model, generated four times as many sales as the ad featuring the stereotypical blonde model.

“Brunettes overall sell better than blondes,” remarked Adore Me CEO Morgan Hermand-Waiche.

“Our customers, and women in general, prefer brunettes when it comes to purchasing lingerie. It’s what we’ve seen.”

The online lingerie company offers bras in sizes 30A up to 44G and prides itself on its impressive range of underwear options for the larger chested ladies.

“We were happy to see that featuring a plus size model in an ad quadrupled sales. The amount and quality of traffic clearly showed that plus size models resonate with women of all sizes and boost sales across the board, and not just in the plus-size line.”

The findings come as a debate over the use of the term ‘plus-sized model’ has emerged on Instagram.

Stefania Ferrario wants the modelling industry to #droptheplus [Instagram/stefania_model]
Stefania Ferrario wants the modelling industry to #droptheplus [Instagram/stefania_model]


US ‘plus-size’ model Stefania Ferrario, who is a size 12, posted a revealing shot of herself in a pair of knickers with the statement ‘I am a model’ written on her stomach alongside the hashtag #droptheplus.

“Unfortunately in the modelling industry if you’re above a US size 4 [UK size 8] you are considered plus size. I do NOT find this empowering,” she wrote on Instagram.

Are you surprised by the research findings? Is it time to drop the plus size term from modeling? Let us know in the comments below.

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