Vogue Italia All Black Issue Goes Viral

You probably do not know Franca Sozzani. She's the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Italia. Her decision to create a whole issue of the magazine (Conde Nast, circulation 120,000) featuring all black models ignited a conversation that now spans two continents.

With 30,000 reprints in the US and 10,000 in the UK, and 20,000 extra copies in Italy, the July 2008 issue of Vogue Italia will go down in history as (probably) the most requested magazine in recent times.

At a time when magazine circulation is shrinking and sales are declining, one issue sparks an amazing response from readers. Sozzani's vision was to change the conversation. The success is even more remarkable given that, according to the industry, black models do not sell.

Vogue Italia was a pretty unlikely place to start, yet look at the results - sold out. Copies on eBay are selling for $45. In an interview with Time magazine, Sozzani explains her inspiration came directly from the conversations surrounding Obama's candidacy. "It's time," there is hope. In an interview with The Telegraph, Sozzani said:

"We try to do things that are not conventional, because we like risks," she continues. "And sometimes we've had bad reactions but I don't regret anything."

How did this one magazine end up a best seller, a viral marketing success? There were four forces at work:

• It's about one conversation, one focused product - feature stories and 100-page fashion shoot are aligned. Yes, there are many ads that feature white models, but the issue is not a "white-out," as the industry calls the rest.

• The conversation is relevant and emotionally engaging to readers on both sides of the pond - people are talking about Obama. The issue features interviews with Obama's wife Michelle and Edmonde Charles-Roux, who quit as editor of Vogue Paris over a decision not to use a cover of black model Donyale Luna in June 1966.

• There is an appreciation of how this conversation can help others - it's larger than the one issue and its success. It's about helping advance the career of models from many ethnic groups. If the world is smaller, the fashion industry clearly still signals that it's not flat, yet. There is a cause that can be embraced to raise awareness on beauty being color blind.

• The magazine, in fact, changed the conversation around beauty and fashion - the editorial choices brought to life something that has integrity (it delivers what it promises) and is unexpected. No one anticipated the global interest. The sensation and stir the magazine caused was not the aim. 

How did the conversation spread so fast? Thanks to the Internet and the world wide web. As I was researching this story that first caught my eye on The Observer, I found pages of quotes, interviews, blog posts filled with comments.

Sure, there was some help in spreading the news. Sola Oyebade, chief executive of Mahogany Model Management, has been running a Facebook, text and email campaign in an attempt to make the issue the biggest-selling Vogue ever.

Online tools have worked in favor of word of mouth on this one. This is yet another example of a use of the Internet to amplify a conversation around an issue that people care about.

The conversation around fashion's unrealistic depiction of women ignited when the Dove Real Beauty campaign hit the waves a few short years ago. That, too was possible thanks to the ability we have to publish information online.

As you recall, initially, it was not an ad campaign at all. It went viral first, before it came back as stories to help young girls become more confident about themselves.

Will the success of this one issue of Vogue Italia change things in the fashion industry? Whether it will or not, one thing is for sure - it has already changed the conversation around the commercialization of black models. 

It hasn't been done before does not equal it will not work.

[The four covers, as well as the photography throughout, by US photographer Steven Meisel. The models: Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez, Naomi Campbell, and Jourdan Dunn.]

Related posts: 

Here Comes Everybody
Forget Influentials: in Viral Marketing Context Matters

Comments

[Marc]

Hi Valeria

As an unfortunate addendum to this article, I read recently that the subsequent issue of Vogue Italia featured a total of zero black models. http://pictureyear.blogspot.com/2008/07/black-is-old-invisible.html

I guess the answer to your final question is that no, one issue won't change the fashion media industry. It won't even change the magazine that published it.

Personally these kind of stunts (Dove too) leave me struggling with the concept of "authenticity" that's being held up like a holy grail at the moment. I think in some cases we'd like to think that motives are pure and we forget that in the end it might just be about shifting "product". There is a nice sweet-spot between those two extremes I think, but Vogue didn't find it.

=( Marc

[Linda Margaret]

One issue is a start. Authenticity in any media is something the media tends to create for itself. The media builds credibility by consistently publishing content that finds a responsive audience. Vogue found an audience fascinated by a stunt; to follow it up and mainstream the stunt would make it less valuable. They may try something similar or "mainstream" more non-white models, but it won't be too soon. Too soon would diminish all the valuable buzz (on and offline) of this stunt.

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Marc - sure, many of these initiatives may start with shifting product. In the same way as many personal change commitments may start with a partner or your staff demanding it... however, they end up transforming the organization, too. Given the push back from the fashion industry on ethnicity (from my readings it came across clearly), it is remarkable that the one issue even happened.

@Linda - the conversation was begun. There is also another consideration, which is as buyers, we often get complacent, or bored and go with the flow. It is really hard to want to make statements all the time. Going against the grain requires more of us... the novelty factor did play a role in the success of this one issue. As you said, novelty wears off.