Thoughts on the MAC Rodarte controversy

It was interesting watching the beauty blogging world explode in collective rage at the MAC Rodarte collection that is due to be released in September. In case you haven't read about what's causing so much anger, I recommend reading these posts on British Beauty Blogger and Make-up by Katy. To soothe the outrage, MAC has announced that it will be changing the product names in the collection (e.g. Factory, Juarez) and making a $100,000 donation to a non-profit organisation that has a proven track record of improving the lives of women in Juarez, a Mexico border town notorious for the large numbers of missing and murdered young women. Rodarte has also issued an apology.

As other bloggers have already written eloquently on this issue, I thought I'd just make a few observations here.

1. The cynic in me thinks that someone in MAC or Rodarte's PR office is probably still laughing because there's no such thing as bad publicity. Never before have so many beauty blogs covered a MAC collection simultaneously. Rodarte was even less well known outside of the fashion world before all this.

2. After this has blown over, as most controversies inevitably do, people will probably continue to chase the next limited edition MAC collection. The profits that MAC makes from one limited edition collection are probably far in excess of $100,000.

3. The ad visual for this collection is completely vile. It may work for the fashion world (remember heroin chic?) but definitely not for the average consumer.

4. The Quinceanera blush looks like it is streaked with rivulets of blood.

5. Anyone notice how the biggest beauty blogs that receive truckloads of MAC products as press samples regularly have not said anything negative about MAC and Rodate in this entire fiasco? Instead, they are busy hobnobbing with MAC artists on Twitter. And everytime you view their blog, you are adding to their ad revenue stream by adding to their number of page impressions.

6. Unlike MAC, Rodarte has not put its money where its mouth is. Why doesn't Rodarte donate all the royalties that it will receive from MAC for this collection?

7. My guess is that this collection will still sell because some consumers are either not aware of the controversy or do not care about it enough to boycott MAC. What would be really sad would be if these products became even more sought after after all this publicity.

8. Aside from boycotting MAC, why not do something that actually makes a difference? You may not be able to do much about the horrific situation in Juarez but you can show more kindness and consideration for the people around you. Do a random act of kindness, volunteer, make a donation, spend more time with your parents, help a stranger in need etc. Do something to give thanks that by the lottery of your birth, you do not have to suffer as the women in Juarez do on a daily basis.