As most of my readers know…I'm all about promoting and uplifting the image of women in the media. For that reason alone, I want to take the time to congratulate and recognize Londell McMillan and Source Magazine (www.thesource.com) for their new policy stand against "Booty Ads".
Hip-Hop's most infamous magazine, according to the New York Times will no longer accept lewd advertizing. According to co-publisher L. Londell McMillan; "We don't want to just glorify the lowest-hanging fruit."
"There's a lot of people that want hip-hop, but don't want some of the filth that some of the business carries with it." The Source, he said, should be able to appeal to the core hip-hop audience, mostly young men, while also being something "you wouldn't mind your kids seeing."
"I realize the risk that we're taking," said Mr. McMillan, 42, a partner at a major law firm, Dewey & LeBouef. "But I think when you have the more raunchy, seedy ads, you lose the bigger corporate consumer ads like McDonald's, and Coca-Cola."
The Source Magazine, has been experiencing financial problems, as had the whole Hip-Hop industry. In 2008 Mr. McMillan convinced a group of investors to buy the troubled magazine and revamp it's image.
Mr. McMillan says eliminating sex ads is no mere business decision. He says he wants to transform the often raunchy image of hip-hop itself. Under McMillan's leadership, The Source magazine has expanded it's Brand overseas with a French version of the magazine, alongside a The Source Latino and The Source Israel magazine franchises.
The current use of half-dressed women on magazine covers and ads, is not the fault of Hip-Hop. Sexually seductive images of women, are seen all over the magazine industry. Try picking up a copy of Cosmopolitan, or Vogue. One thing magazine advertising and hip-hop music have always had in common is skin - It is obvious that "Sex Sells".
The Source magazine, does not aim to do away with such images. There is a lot of money in them and in these hard economic times every advertiser counts. But it wants to make the sex in its pages a lot less explicit.
We salute L. Londell McMillan and The Source Magazine for taking a stand against "Booty Ads" and the countless less-then-tasteful images of women in Hip Hop.
© Feb 2009 By Afromerica || [TOP]
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No More Booty Ads in Source Magazine
