The Commercial Side of Things

The runways of Paris and Milan and flashy editorial spreads in high fashion magazines are what usually generate buzz and turn heads in this industry. And understandably so - they exemplify what people have long associated with modelling: edgy, chiseled facial features, impossibly long legs, taut, toned physiques. Adjacent to the glitz and glamour of this world and sometimes overlapping with it though is the commercial side of the market - the catalogs, commercials, billboards and print ads where pouty lips and mesmerizing stares are replaced with toothy grins and cheesy wholesomeness. Decidedly more approachable and mainstream, it's the segment of the market that I've personally found the most success. Highlights have been commercials for Sony, K-Swiss, and Panasonic and print work for Shell and QuarkXPress.
Nice thing is that people generally aren't exclusively high fashion or commercial. Many models manage to book both types of work though proportions vary depending on the model and the agency. Some agencies have an inclination/client base that goes one way or the other but for the most part, boards are broken down quite simply by male and female. So don't be surprised to see or hear of a model who shoots a sporting goods catalog one day, does a Versace show the very next, and then turns around and hawks toothpaste. It's the nature of the business and what helps keep things interesting...