First of all, thanks to each and every person who took the time to comment and make their feelings known on yesterday's posts both on here, and on all of the other blogs and posts out there that made their feelings known...
MAC have released a further statement;
We understand that product names in the M·A·C Rodarte collection have offended our consumers and fans. This was never our intent and we are very sorry. We continue to listen carefully to the comments we have received and have the following plans to address concerns:
- We are committed to donating $100,000 to a non-profit organization that has a proven, successful track-record helping women in need and that can directly improve the lives of women in Juarez in a meaningful way.
- We are changing the product names in the M·A·C Rodarte collection.
As we have done in the past, please be assured that we will communicate details regarding our progress in this matter.
Rodarte have also released this Statement;
We recognize that the violence against women taking place in Juarez needs to be met with proactive action. We never intended to make light of this serious issue and we are truly sorry.
Helping to improve the conditions for women in Juarez is a priority for us and we are thankful for all the comments calling attention to the urgency of addressing this situation.
My Thoughts?
Re Rodarte's statement - they seem to be trying to imply that this collection was created to raise awareness in that second sentence - I'm not sure I believe this. My gut instinct remains that they have been caught out here...
Re MAC's Statement - Bravo for taking the sensible decision to change the names. Does $100 000 go far enough? I'm not sure - how much do MAC make from an average collection? I'd need to know that before I could judge the merit or otherwise of this figure...I'm also still not hearing the names of any actual organisations they are planning to work with? Amnesty International? Any name at all?
What do you think? Am I being too harsh here?
I also want to link to this post on the London Beauty Review, which makes some great points and looks at the issue from a different perspective.
15 comments:
I am really skeptical about the whole thing still. The donation is a step in the right direction but my gut tells me, it's too little too late. And I, like you, think that they have been 'caught.'
I've been a MAC fan for more than 15 years. This issue has made me really want to evaluate my support of the brand moving forward.
Thank you for this and your other post. It really brought the issue home to me.
Michelle
I've researched what goes on in Juarez and Mexico in general when it comes to women. I also know MAC is a huge company bringing in a lot of profit (or they wouldn't be in the business and so successful).
No, I don't think you are being harsh at all. Yes, it's good they're changing the names, and donating money...because its easy to throw money at a problem to get it to go away. And its easy to change a name so people forget. However, that won't help for long and won't increase awareness in the right way to help in the long run.
I'm not happy at all with MAC trying to "pull this off" and yes, that's how I feel, that they were trying to get something by their clientele. My opinion is they need to pull the line completely and not just throw some money at the problem but make some financial commitment to a worthy organization who is fighting this - over time. Throwing money at it now will not help 3 years from now. However, MAC will just re-release the line with another name and make the cash off of the pain and suffering of others anyways. Somebody had to be "inspired" to come up with this idea - so they will still profit from the original inspiration.
I'm not happy and not using any MAC products right now. Changing the name and throwing some money at the problem will not change my mind. They need to do something more real and heart felt.
I
I don't think you are being harsh. I too had the same questions and I very much wanted to know what charity they will donate to - I myself have been looking.
Still want them to do more. The promo image is incredibly scary and I think they should replace it. Also think the blood spattered MES should be withdrawn.
Maybe I being harsh. But I want more action.
You're not being harsh at all and I loved the way you interpreted the last line: "Helping to improve the conditions for women in Juarez is a priority for us and we are thankful for all the comments calling attention to the urgency of addressing this situation." >>
They contradict themselves and it just stares at you in the face
Helping the women in Juarez has never been their intent, first I've heard of that one. If it had been the case, it would have come out at the same time they were publishing why they came out with this collection. Then they try to pay us a compliment and thank 'all the comments' which helped to open their eyes a bit wider (my thinking is that their eyes were totally shut before then) about the urgency blabla. Doesnt make any sense at all.
I want to hear about the sisters now and if they're going to come up with some ethereal non sense again.
They should have just pulled out the line altogether AND give a donation. People would have thought high of them doing that.
They can change the names (which is good, dont get me wrong) but the inspiration still disgusts me. Blimey what a cock up, how ignorant. I am getting aaaaaaaalll worked up again now :/ sorry xx
Do you know what angers me as well is how people are so addicted to mac, they feel they need to buy from every collection. They come out with a new one every 3 months or something ridiculous like that. Please don't buy from this. I am not looking forward to reading the first post of a person swatching these products. They just look vile to me and will always be. Absolute shambles this!!! xxx
Firstly I think it's amazing that so many bloggers are raising awareness of this issue, it's great to see. Secondly I feel that mac is taking a step in the right direction but more needs to be done, 100k is good but they're not there yet
If we didn't name things after places, people that have a bad history, we wouldn't have a lot of choices, would we? It's not like MAC named a lipstick Hitler or Rape or Slavery.
I've been to a restaurant in California named New Orleans. Should I be angered and tell them to change the name because of crimes and murders there? Or the alcoholic drink/flavor Hurricane; because I lived through Hurricane Katrina should I go around demanding no drinks be named that?
At the end of the day, if MAC changes the name or not, they're getting more free publicity from us.
you are not being harsh.
I think it's nice that MAC is going to donate money and $100K will go far in Mexico, but I feel that it's too little, too late.
I wonder why Rodarte isn't making some sort of donation. I mean they are the ones that came up with this insane idea in the first place.
I'm pleased that the figure MAC are donating is unrelated to sales of the collection, meaning that horrified consumers can still boycott it without depriving the chosen charities of money.
That's all I'm pleased with. I don't think the figure is anywhere near enough when you consider that MAC's number one UK outlet makes £86,538 a week (according to beautymouth.com).
Rodarte pretty much disgust me. I don't see the point in them 'recognising' that violence needs to be met with action, when they aren't actually TAKING any such action. Pretty words to match their pretty clothing collection styled on the rapes and murders of hundreds of women.
I know you saw me post some of this on Twitter, but I'll reiterate for those who haven't read it.
I think MAC is making a good choice here - not the best choice, but a good one. I don't think they should pull the collection because the products have already been manufactured and it's unbelievably wasteful to throw them away. Changing the names and making a donation is the best way to go. It would be best if they would donate all proceeds, but I'm not sure how likely that is to happen.
I think they haven't released the name of an organization yet because they're having just as hard a time finding one as we are. I'm sure they'll let us know when they've found one that is reliable.
I will not be purchasing anything from this collection unless they donate all proceeds. I liked Pink Sith's idea of donating the money you'd have spent to charity, so I'm anxious to hear of a good organization.
Rodarte isn't dealing with this very gracefully at all. This collection was not meant to highlight or improve any issues and I'm sick of them making things up after the fact. I'm insulted that the Mulleavy sisters think I'm not smart enough to see through their public relations bullcrap. Perhaps they should donate a portion of the proceeds from their collection as well?
First of all I truly commend you for yesterdays post. It was just really well written and raised some issues I'd never ever stopped to think about. I was horrified about the facts you stated, which for so many people in Mexico... is a reality.
I saw your post and it has really put me off buying the collection. I just wish all those images and products would go away, who cares if they're re-named.:s
I think you're being fair and not too harsh. MAC seems to have messed up with wanting to push the limits of "creativity".
At the same time I doubt a company would purposely do something to offend on purpose- as it's obviously going to cause a bad image for the company.
Thanks for writing about this--I had no idea. I'll be skipping this collection for sure.
I appreciate to see MAC taking responsibility and making amends for their actions. I really do. But donating $100.000 bucks to an unspecified organisation? Come on, MAC that´s kind of a joke, right?
$100.000/400=$250
$100.000/5.000=$20
Is $20-250 the amount that respect for a single human life is worth? Really? Come on MAC, $100.000 is just a tiny little fractional part of what you will make from the Rodarte collection!
I've been thinking a lot about this, and reading a lot of things these 2 past days. I still think it's all very complicated.
We all need to remember something: companies exist to make profits. If Mac had wrapped this whole thing into another package, saying right away they were doing this to raise awareness and they were going to make a donation, everybody would have applauded and bought products and felt good about themselves and Mac - when in the end they would have created profit for the company as well. That would have been more popular, for sure, but more ethical?
That does not mean I think no company should raise money for charities; I think we need to focus on the side benefits: awareness rising, donations, the fact that some of us will make their own donation... That's going to help these women and it wouldn't have happened without Mac launching this collection. Profits and charity need to live together and benefit from each other, maybe that sucks, but that's the reality.
Now how much money is enough? 1 million? 10 millions? Should mac give up all their profits because the Juarez situation is tragic? And what about Rodarte's profits then??
I think there will never be enough money to be worth those human lives, but what's been given is better than nothing.
Just my 2 cents :)
I think it's a great reflection on the awareness bloggers and consumers have raised that MAC have responded in this way.
I am sure they now look at this collection in a completely different light now and can see where they slipped up and could have done better and could have made this collection a success in helping the women of Juarez instead of initially ignoring their plight.
Whether it is enough, I can't judge.
Every blogger had a different interpretation of a resolution. Some want to boycott the collection some wanted to boycott MAC altogether regardless of whether MACs response was a donation or full profits going to a Juarez foundation.
I can imagine this is not the last we have heard from MAC with hopefully further information to follow.
It's too little too late. I think the collection should be pulled. It is now tainted and even if they change the names - we all know what they would have been called and where the inspiration came from.
Mac should still donate the money as planned, and should skip the collection, and hang their heads in shame in my opinion.
I will not be buying a thing from this collection and I'm sure many others won't either. With this in mind, I see no point introducing it at all.
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