Influencer Léna Situations Discusses Diversity in Advertising and Social Media Impact

Invited to the fourth episode of journalist Élise Lucet’s show broadcast on YouTube, Léna Situations watched a report on selfies, a street survey questioning women about their relationship with fashion in the 70s, and a report on the image of women in advertisements and the wave of porn chic among advertisers before reacting. She praised the influence of the Internet, whose advent has favored the representation of all communities in advertising campaigns, attempting to limit the invisibility suffered by minorities for many years.

"It’s once the conversation could be opened with social networks, that minorities were able to say ’Excuse me, are we bothering you? We’ve been completely invisible for years’," analyzes the young woman. "Today, I can find myself in advertising campaigns without being a size 2 and without being a blue-eyed blonde," she rejoiced.

With Hôtel Mahfouf, her own brand of clothing and lifestyle objects, Lena Situations addresses all women. She indeed shows varied female profiles in her communication. Her strongest wish is for other companies, especially big brands, to do the same: "I don’t want to reproduce a pattern that I think has complexed my entire generation. I can do it on a very small scale, we’re a mini brand. What really matters will be the big retailers, it will be the big brands..."

The influencer believes that advertisements should go further in representing all women, particularly those of Maghrebi origin. "There’s this notion now of quotas, I can also find myself on a campaign because I’m going to bring the ’diversity’ side. But okay, I’m a Maghrebi woman, but I’m a Maghrebi version accepted by advertising in France. I really think that if I were a veiled woman with features that French people think are ’Arab’, I wouldn’t have the same opportunities I have today at all. Because we need to go even further. It’s good that I have my place today, but it’s not enough," Léna Situations emphasized.