Whooping Cough Wolves

Talk about effective use of fairy tale imagery-this ad definitely caught my attention and is still a little disturbing to look at. This is a Walgreens ad in Family Circle magazine

Once Upon a Vine-Fairy Tale-Inspired Wine

In Gypsy's latest link roundup at Once Upon a Blog, she shared a Frog Prince inspired wine, which reminded me that a while ago I spotted fairy tale-inspired wines at Marianos and meant to share them here, but forgot!

Once Upon a Vine is a pun just waiting to be made, and I for one am glad they did! Above are their 2013 products "A Charming Pinot," "Lost Slipper Sauvignon Blanc," "The Big Bad Red Blend," and "The Fairest Chardonnay." There is also a limited edition "Enchanted Woods Bubbly." At $10 or $11 a bottle, they're really quite affordable, although I haven't tried these (I stick to the $3 wines available at Aldis and Trader Joes).

Fairy Tales in Clothing Advertising

With the relatively recent phenomenon of online shopping, companies selling clothes now have different ways of appealing to the buyers. In a store, a garment stands on its own; online, each item is given a name, and sometimes accompanied by a description of what one might do while wearing said item. Companies will try and come up with different images that appeal to the masses, something that makes you believe that if you buy their product, you will have the type of lifestyle described.

And despite the bad, "unfeminist" reputation they sometimes get, fairy tales are often used when selling women's clothes (I don't really online shop for men's clothes, but I assume fairy tales aren't as strong a draw in that market...anyone aware of any exceptions?) It's interesting to note which tales, and which aspects of the tales, companies believe appeal to women today. These are all from Modcloth.

Once Upon a Thyme Coat

"Your style and palette may be all grown up, but you still love to hear classic fairy tales from your childhood! This coat by Steve Madden showcases a woven black and white design, elegant pleats, and a beautiful, cape-inspired neckline wrap that's a fairy-tale-come-true on chilly days. The shiny black bubble buttons add a hint of fun vintage flair along the cuffs and belt loops, as well. So whether you’re shopping for spices at the open market or heading to Grandma’s house to share your newest recipe creation, you’ll look charming in this trendy coat."

My Prints Charming Dress

"Get swept off your feet by the captivating allure of this Southwestern-inspired dress. Patterned in vivid hues of scarlet, black, white, and cream, this softly textured tie-waist shift exudes effortless bohemian beauty that wins your heart!"

Beauty and the Breeze Hoodie

Fairytale of Two Cities Dress

"What to wear to a wedding in Chicago and then a gala in D.C.? This tan party dress feels refined and fanciful, so you can reign over your social calendar with elegant ease. A tulle overlay and chevron accents feel princess-like over pink pumps, while a satin bodice and silky lining keep you looking modern with a sequined clutch. Add stunning jewels, and this A-line frock can stay out past midnight - regardless of the time zone!"

Pounce Upon a Time Skirt
"You’ll find that wearing this sweet mini skirt is like living in a fairytale! Designed with white cats playfully patterning a black hue, this pocketed bottom is endlessly adorable."

Grant You One Swish Dress
"Were there a genie in your wardrobe, you’d wish for this floral shift dress by British cult brand Motel, each time you want to look flirtatiously fashionable. Characterized by bold shoulder cutouts, unique white-and-slate blossoms atop a navy-blue hue, and a painterly feel, this swaying dress is always a lucky choice."

Midnight Dance Wedge
"Twirl under the stars as the clock strikes twelve, comfortable and chic in these platform wedges. A vegan faux-suede composition meets a deep -blue hue to create this wonderfully winsome pair."

Happily Endeavor After Boot
"Step into fairy-tale-worthy style with these chic black boots! Boasting buckled straps and a sleek, knee-high silhouette, this vegan faux-leather pair makes for ambitiously charming adventures."

Once Upon a Climb Sweatshirt
"Compose your own fashion fairytale by slipping into this darling pullover, which touts a graphic print of brown, taupe, and rust-orange foliage. You’ll be crowned stylish royalty thanks to this cozy knit! This UK brand uses playful details and a retro-meets-modern aesthetic to celebrate quirky, independent women who aren't afraid to be themselves."

Mirror, Mirror of the Ball Dress
"Just one stride past the ornately framed mirror in the ballroom assures that the union of you and this floor-length dress are one of the most elegant sights here. From the sweetheart bodice swirling with sequins, to the handkerchief-layers of the black chiffon skirt, this captivating frock reflects pure magnificence to all those who see you in it!"

Really, I think one of the reasons people get upset by this whole idea that fairy tales promote unrealistic and too idealistic expectations in life are because we live in such a consumeristic culture. When used to try and sell things, advertisers appeal to the positive aspects of fairy tales-they obviously wouldn't try to tell you "when you wear this skirt, while you may or may not catch the man of your dreams, but it's likely your stepmother and sisters will abuse you, because they're jealous of how cute you look!" They appeal to the "happily ever after" and the romance parts of fairy tales-Cinderella is an image of partying all over the country, going to Grandmother's house is now an idyllic pastime and not fraught with danger, Genies give you floral prints, and when you look adorable your life will be a "fairy tale come true," never mind that we probably only want the end of the fairy tale to come remotely true in real life because the beginning and middle parts are almost all extremely traumatic.

On the plus side, you will notice some more modern, feminist ideas associated with fairy tales in the examples above, like women going on adventures (which is definitely true in folklore, if not the most famous versions of fairy tales known today) or celebrating "quirky, independent women who aren't afraid to be themselves".

Still, I like the fact that fairy tales can be used for advertising, if nothing else because it still shows how well-loved the stories are. Being a fairy tale lover myself, calling a coat the "Once Upon a Thyme Coat" does make it more appealing to me than a more generic "Coat with Cape and Belt."

The Aftermath of Frozen

It's been almost a year since Disney's "Frozen" release at the end of last November. Its popularity soared, and doesn't look like it's going away any time soon.

Elsa was a prominent choice for little girls' costumes this Halloween, and holiday commercials are using Frozen toys and products as a way to attract customers. With the unusual cold we've been having in the Midwest, someone on my Facebook feed joked about how maybe the fact that nearly every little girl wanted to dress up as Elsa had something to do with the unseasonal snow flurries.

Disney seems to be pushing the products so hard, both in the Parks and stores (the Christmas Parade is officially titled the "Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration") that its been getting some backlash from frustrated customers. People are not only tired of seeing the merchandise everywhere, but very upset that the classic Norway ride, Maelstrom, in Disney World's Epcot is being replaced with a Frozen-themed ride.

 Yet people are still going in hoards to buy the merchandise, so much so that Disney stores has a limit of 1 Anna or Elsa costume per customer at their stores. I heard that costumes were being sold on Ebay for hundreds of dollars around Halloween (my good friend Christy went as Elsa in a homemade costume). I thought the three hour line to meet the Princess sisters at Disney World was bad in the spring, but their initial appearance in Epcot led to lines as long as 7 HOURS. I cannot imagine standing in line for that long to meet actors in costume. Many people don't even get seven hours of sleep a night...

Yep, Frozen on Ice is already happening

The fairy tale blogging world has already discussed the film and why it's so immensely popular. The rest of this post isn't really new thoughts, just review as we look back over the year. I think it boils down to two main factors:

1. Our culture was very ready for a fairy tale retelling that doesn't focus on love at first sight. Children's enthusiasm can only go so far without parents willing to support the movie and characters as well, spending money on the products and even waiting in line with their kids for hours and hours. We've been complaining about the fairy tale/Disney Princess stereotypes for so long. Could this be the beginning of truly altering the fairy tale formula in our modern interpretations?

Edmund Dulac, Illustrations for Andersen's "Snow Queen"

Having two strong female protagonists was also a strong point for a more feminist culture, but it's ironic because Andersen's original "Snow Queen" is, arguably, much MORE feminist. It's essentially the story of a young girl who goes on an adventure to rescue her male friend, a complete inversion of the classic heroic-male-rescues-damsel-in-distress, and she meets many strong female characters along the way of all ages who help her in her quest.

2. Girls like superpowers too. I think this point shouldn't be underestimated when looking at the success of the movie. I know many young girls who love Frozen, and Elsa is ALWAYS their favorite (with maybe one exception being a girl whose name is Anna). Superheroes with special powers are marketed pretty exclusively to boys, but girls like to pretend to have special abilities just as much. I can think of multiple young girls I know who are half convinced that any time it snows it's because of their spirited renditions of Let It Go, and Heidi Anne Heiner of Surlalune says its the same with her niece as well.

I've been surprised when stores like Walmart and Target still prominently feature Frozen, it's like no other kids movies were made this year. But for me, it was a childhood obsession with Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" that led to my ultimate desire to research fairy tales. Who knows-maybe in 10-20 years we'll see an increase in young women who start to look up the history of Snow Queen, their own favorite Disney movie's inspiration, who will through the film discover for themselves the wonderful, enchanting world of fairy tales? Here's hoping-

London: Selfridge's Fairy Tale Christmas Display

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"Selfridges has launched its ‘storytelling’ Christmas displays that draw inspiration from fairytales including Sleeping Beauty and Hansel and Gretel.

The department store has decked out its iconic Oxford Street store with 25 fairytales.

Around 500 contractors and Selfridges team members worked on bringing the Christmas windows to life, with more than 32,000 hours spent on its display.

Selfridges has also installed a display on top of the canopy entrance to its Oxford Street store. Called ‘Destination Christmas’, the canopy installation features fairy tale symbols, such as the Golden Goose wearing a monocle and a top hat.

This installation weighs over two tons and features the biggest neon sign in London this Christmas, Selfridges said.

The storytelling theme also extends to inside the store. Visual merchandising continues the references to literary characters and words from a Selfridges-designed Christmas story seem to fall from the sky in its atrium area.

The Selfridges’ Christmas story is available to read in full and to listen to at Selfridges.com.

Performers from Story Stock are also present in store to bring some of the fairytales to life through interactive storytelling and shoppers can find characters like Alice, The Mad Hatter and Peter Pan roaming the store."

-Retail Week, Gemma Goldfingle

Every year people complain about Christmas decorations going up too early, and this display caused more controversy, as it went up in late October. Yet, according to this article from The Guardian, a third of shoppers claim to start their Christmas buying in September, and on September 3, "Christmas" was the most popular search item online. 

Has Christmas really started getting earlier and earlier, or do we just forget how early it started the previous year? I read somewhere that Tim Burton got the inspiration for "Nightmare Before Christmas" from seeing Halloween decorations up on one side of a store aisle and Christmas on the other, and that film was completed in 1993.

Anyway, fairy tales are no stranger to Christmas advertising. Marketers love to emphasize the "magical" side of the holidays, and I love the connection as well (although I do personally wish we would hold off on Christmas for a little longer, even though I absolutely adore the Christmas season, people start to get tired of it before the big day even arrives. But stores wouldn't give us Holiday cheer unless people bought into it...)

Fairy Tales Sell

Lately I've been noticing this huge paradox in our culture when it comes to attitudes towards fairy tales. As I've previously discussed, referring to something as a "fairy tale" can often be a very negative thing, insinuating that it is naive, childish, or anything that implies life will be perfect. The ironic thing is that 95% of fairy tale content usually involves shocking amounts of abuse, violence, and sexuality, and that includes even the most sanitized versions by Grimm or yes, even Disney.

But at the same time, fairy tales are incredibly popular and used all the time in advertising. For example, the Geico commercials I just posted refer to fairy tales (disclaimer: no, Pinocchio is not technically a fairy tale, but closely related/often mistaken as such). Partly because fairy tales are common ground-general knowledge that pretty much everyone is familiar with; and I'm sure the fact that they're not copyrighted has something to do with it. But it's more than that too. Remember this fairy tale commercial playlist? For decades companies have used fairy tale motifs to sell their products, and companies don't want to be associated with childish and immature stories-they want people to connect with positive images related to their products.

It's not just commercials, either. One of my guilty pleasures is to online shop at sites like Modcloth, where I regularly see clothes and accessories given a fairy tale-inspired name, even if the piece really has nothing to do with a particular fairy tale.

Happily Ever After party dress

Flair-y Tale boot

The clock strikes midnight gloves

Trail as Old as Time Top

Play fair-y dress

You get the idea.

Another thing I find interesting has to do with the new movie "Frozen". No, I haven't seen it yet, but from what I've heard the plot has virtually nothing to do with its original inspiration, Andersen's "Snow Queen". Sure, a snowy setting and glass shards-from what I gather only vague references. Yet they still credit Andersen's story as their source, when they could easily have marketed it as an original idea. So why even bother to say it's a fairy tale, especially a more obscure one? Did they think more people would be interested in another Disney fairy tale interpretation than a new hit feature with an original script?

When you keep your eye out for them, you find fairy tale references everywhere. I even just found out about this coffee shop in Tacoma, Washington called Bluebeard coffee. I can't find any reference to the story or why they would have named it after a fairy tale character, especially one of such ill repute...it's possible this is one of the instances where Bluebeard was confused with either Redbeard or Blackbeard the pirates, but I would hope a little more research went into the name of their store than that.

If I kept looking I could find dozens more products that reference fairy tales for no apparent reason, and then of course there's the whole line of products that ARE directly linked to fairy tales. It's no secret that fairy tales have been the source of many recent movies and t.v. shows as well. Clearly people are drawn to them and companies count on that to make their products more appealing. So my question is, how does that fit in with the very negative light many people also view fairy tales in, revealed by their vocabulary if not a conscious opinion? Do you think that with so many fairy tales being brought into focus in mainstream media and not just a side genre, that people will start to have more respect in general for fairy tales?

GEICO Fairy tale commercials

I just saw the latest of Geico's "Did you know" series of commercials, this one featuring Pinocchio. I had mentioned the Jack and the Beanstalk one earlier, which wasn't on youtube at the time, so here it is in case you missed it:

Fairy Tale Commercials playlist

I just saw a new Gieco commercial featuring Jack and the Beanstalk. Couldn't find it on youtube yet, but I did find this playlist featuring 47 different fairy tale-themed commercials. Cinderella and Red Riding Hood are definitely the most commonly used. Some of them are recent and some are old, going back to the 80s and 90s, and a couple from the 1930s! Advertisements are some of the most globally viewed takes on fairy tales, so they give us an idea of what the general population has been exposed to in terms of fairy tale parodies, as well as what companies think will appeal to everyone. And, some of them are just plain entertaining! Enjoy-