Advertisers Teach Makeup Tips in Aussie Schools

Learning the tricks of the trade.

Marketing or Good Sense?

Things I wish I had learned more about in school: graphic design, cooking, budgeting, and... makeup? Australian all-girls schools are now getting treated to a program called Fashion Roll Call, which is sponsored by NP Set Cosmetics offers makeup tutorials and a "fashion parade" during their lunch hour.

The program claims to be educating girls about careers in beauty and fashion, but it's stirring up controversy amongst those of us who aren't 13. While many of us would have loved to get expert tips from real makeup pros as teenagers, it's clearly a case of marketing (and an attempt at early brand loyalty) for young kids who will be "wowed" by the event.

The first tip-off? The fact that the event is restricted to all-girls schools. Let's not get into how many men make magic with our hair and faces, and how many successful fashion guys are men (Joe Zee, I love you!). By making this program elective for both girls and boys during lunch time, there shouldn't have to be an all-girls focus.

The next warning sign, to me, was the fact that Australian schools came to an agreement that teens need to learn--on a national level--about careers in the beauty and fashion industry. What teen doesn't want to be a fashion designer, a model, a makeup artist, or a model rep at some point? Unless they're telling people how incredibly tough, competitive, and, yes, even evil it can be, it's not like they're exposing the girls to something they've never considered.

Do you find these marketing techniques offensive, or is the program all fun and games?