Mac Breaks The Mould With Bodybuilder Campaign, Is This The Most Empowering Beauty Ad Yet?

Posted: 08/01/13 | Updated: 08/01/13

Katie Jones
Assistant Editor, MyDaily

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Follow: MAC Cosmetics, MAC Makeup, Ad Campaign, Beauty Advert, Mac, Mac Ad Campaign, Mac Strength, Makeup

This has got to be a first in the world of beauty advertising. Mac has released its latest ad campaign for the new Spring collection, Stronger, and who does the brand chose to model their makeup? A Serbian bodybuilder. Clever.

macstrengthcampaign

With her muscles flexed, Jelena Abbou follows on from previous faces of Mac, Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga and MyDaily's personal favourite, Iris Apfel. While these leading ladies broke the norm in terms of model choice, this time there's more to the ad than the usual line of "doesn't this girl look beautiful with her perfect makeup and scraped-back hair?"

We're told to "strike a powerful pose" and "flex [our] femininity", as demonstrated beautifully by Abbou. It might not be anything too ground-breaking, but if these messages imply that women can feel stronger and better about themselves, then we're giving this campaign the nod.

Mac's Strength collection will be available from mid February in stores and online.

See more of Mac's former face below:

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Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Lollapalooza, 2007, Chicago Back in 2007, Lady Gaga, aka Stefani Germanotta, was just a brunette trying to make a name for herself in the music world. Like many other pop stars, she resorted to performing in as few clothes as possible.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
The Slipper Room, 2007, New York Who knew these 80s legwarmers and glitzy leotard would be the tamest items in Gaga's wardrobe?
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
New T-shirt line debut at Kitston, 2008, L.A. A full-body latex unitard, platinum blonde locks and a quirky hair bow made up Lady G's early red carpet uniform, when her single Just Dance was hitting airwaves.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Jet nightclub performance, 2008, Las Vegas One of Gaga's early show-stopping dresses, this futuristic frock with matching headpiece certainly got her noticed. Shame about those hideous greige shoeboots.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Nokia 5800 party, 2009, London By early 2009, Gaga had debuted her signature 'hair-bow' look, and perfected the art of statement sunnies on the red carpet. This is probably her last appearance in something as normal as an LBD for the next two years - at least.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Brit Awards, 2009, London For the 2009 Brits, Gaga donned a subversive Marilyn-in-Gentleman-Prefer-Blondes style frock with plunge V-neck and exaggerated hips.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Glastonbury Festival, 2009 Gaga's stage style is still more outrageous than her red carpet style in 2009. This mirror-ball sculptural tutu dress and fishnets got her noticed in Glastonbury.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Much Music Video Awards, 2009, Toronto Mother Monster shows off her subversive style in the first of many hair dresses she will wear over the years.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
13th Annual ACE Awards, 2009, New York The singer takes the underwear-as-outerwear trend a little too literally in this bizarre getup for the Accessories Council Awards in 2009.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Capital FM Jingle Bell Ball, 2009, London And so begins a love affair with sheer latex that has yet to end...
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Meeting Queen Elizabeth II, 2009, Blackpool The singer covers up to meet HRH, donning a latex Queen of Hearts-style dress and crazy eye glitter.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Grammy Awards, 2010, L.A. The singer looks out of this world as she attends the Grammys in a gorgeous, glittering Armani Prive frock and now-trademark heel-less heels.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Grammy Awards performance, 2010, L.A. Showing off a futuristic style sensibility - and her toned body - Gaga wears a sparkly leotard and matching boots for her on-stage look.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Brit Awards, 2010, London The star wore a bizarre tiered cape dress to the Brit Awards in 2010, which looked like it was inspired by Pierrot from the Commedia dell'Arte...
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Brit Awards, 2010, London ... But she couldn't resist showing off her bod (all of it), so she unveiled this sheer lacy unitard later in the evening.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
MAC Viva Glam launch, 2010, London The MAC Viva Glam face shows off her pout (and not much else of her face) in an elaborate latex mask and lace bodysuit.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
New Tokyo International Airport, 2010 Gaga's airport style is more complicated than most people's. She teams goth lips and footwear with avant-garde trousers and blouse, and even decorates her Birkin bag with a message (in marker!) to her Japanese fans.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
MTV Video Music Awards, 2010, CA The singer walked away with eight awards at the ceremony in 2010, but even more than her impact on the music industry, her relationship with the fashion world was felt as she wore a regal gown from her favourite designer, the late Alexander McQueen's, final collection.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
MTV Video Music Awards, 2010, CA Where would we be without the meat dress? Under the guidance of stylist and friend Nicola Formichetti, Gaga claimed the most iconic fashion moment of the year - and perhaps the decade - when she wore slabs of raw meat to the MTV Video Music Awards.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Political rally, 2010, Maine Lady Gaga is as outspoken about her politics as her sartorial choices. At this 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal rally in Maine she works androgynous style with a US flag tie and geeky specs.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Grammy Awards, 2011, L.A. In what seems to be a subversive interpretation of the birth of Venus, Gaga arrives on the red carpet in her weirdest outfit yet - an egg.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Thierry Mugler fashion show, 2011, Paris Gaga supported her pal Nicola Formichetti's first women's collection as creative director of Thierry Mugler by rocking a sexy bustier ensemble from the label for the A/W 2011 show.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
CFDA Awards, 2011, New York Gaga wore a dramatic punky prom dress by Thierry Mugler to take home her Fashion Icon award from the CFDA in 2011. She teamed the black frock with dramatic teal hair and more than one nipple flash, naturally.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
St. Regis Hotel, 2011, Rome Gaga spent the summer of 2011 having a love-in with vintage Versace prints. And we loved her in the eclectic (yet still tamer than her usual) ensembles.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Narita International Airport, 2011, Japan Lady Gaga tries an elegant ensemble of simple leather trench with matching heels and hair on for size and proves she can look normal-ish, too.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
MTV Video Music Awards, 2011, CA Of course Lady Gaga has a male alter-ego. Meet Jo Calderone, who wears a mannish suit and dirty tee.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
MTV Europe Awards, 2011, Belfast The star shows off yet another side of her fashion personality in this futuristic fish-scale mermaid dress with sea-creature makeup and tiered ponytail.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Barney's Lady Gaga workshop opening, 2011, New York Didn't think Gaga could rock Chanel couture? The star proves she can look stunning in a boucle jacket and pearls - with some added Gaga drama, of course.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Bambi Awards, 2011, Germany The star looks gorgeous as she brings McQueen catwalk style to the red carpet.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
Heading to an X Factor taping, 2011, London Lady G loves her quirky accessories. In 2011, she brought back the teacup and saucer she used to carry around in the early days of trying to make a name for herself.
Style Evolution: Lady Gaga
NYE Times Square ball drop, 2011, New York The singer sparkled in this Art Deco-style dress and crystal mask as she helped usher in 2012 - another year for her to embark on countless style transformations, no doubt.

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leachbut

0 Fans

02:48 PM on 01/09/2013

this is my reply to craggy because for some reason my emails wont return to his box.( wonder why?) you could look on the internet yourself to read about marilyn monroe. yes she was size 16 and she did use weights to train with and today she would be 86 my mothers age. your boo hoo answer was very rude so i presume you are very young, part of this generation today not used to discipline. but believe me you wont be able to carry on like that, things have a habit of coming around. best wishes.xxxx

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jenkinsjohn9

14 Fans

03:24 AM on 01/09/2013

Well I think she looks fantastic. Much better than these stick insect models. And Mac have provided a talking point too a wider range of people, thus more publicity. Well done.

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coeluracatt

0 Fans

06:51 PM on 01/08/2013

From the point of view of advertising this image works extremely well. Like or hate the choice of model it provides a talking point, thereby increasing awareness of the product being advertised.

Lets face it - how often do men become involved in conversations based on a makeup range?. Admittedly the comments made are based on the perceived beauty (or not depending on personal taste) of the model, which has inevitably led to a wider awareness of the product itself.

From the point of view of 'Mac' this looks like being a truly successful campaign due to the choice of model. Had she been one of the usual generic size 'O's normally depicted then the visual imagery of the range would have been a great opportunity missed, not to mention the loss of the additional free advertising provided by articles such as this.

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HUFFPOST SUPER USER

thomson9552

44 Fans

06:40 PM on 01/08/2013

Fantastic and beautiful: a truly excellent idea and I for one for love to see more female models like this. Very feminine and shapely; not grotesquely muscular; but lovely; and an superb role model for health as opposed to size zero anorexic looking models that have had such a negative impact on women of all ages. I think that it is high time that we started to have more fit and healthy role models as opposed to the many binge drinking, drug taking, no consequences until you die ones that we have today.

I applaud Mac and I have to say again that these women are gorgeous.

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tilly rox

3 Fans

04:00 PM on 01/08/2013

I totally agree with emmajd1
Craggy - just because women are more masculine, it doesnt automatically make the ugly, or less feminine, or gay (which you implied)

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Craggy

139 Fans

04:48 PM on 01/08/2013

tilly rox, can't you understand. That is your opinion, not mine. Now try not to bully people into having to pretend to think what you think. That is what I think of her, get over it and accept it. You will not bully me, whatever you say. Got the picture.

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tilly rox

3 Fans

11:22 AM on 01/09/2013

I'm not bullying you, I'm just making a statement

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estellathestar

1 Fans

03:25 PM on 01/08/2013

I think its great. Its totally different to the typical model look. Her body is strong and powerful and we know she has spent a lot of time to look like this. I think she is a great role model.

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nanook587

0 Fans

02:39 PM on 01/08/2013

Also to add....I don't know where you lot live, but here in the north-east we have an epidemic of obese people. Even the teens are very over-weight, I think this model/bodybuilder is an excellent role model.

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nanook587

0 Fans

02:37 PM on 01/08/2013

It takes years to develop muscles like this, a lot of gruelling hours in the gym. I think she looks fantastic (male too)

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jhr61elton

3 Fans

02:10 PM on 01/08/2013

She looks vewy vewy thtwong - pretty pathetic really.

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kellyklf

0 Fans

02:02 PM on 01/08/2013

I think she looks amazing. I see the Steroid comment has already surfaced, how do you know that? She might have worked her backside off in the gym. As for the enlarged clitoris, well its better than a Gunt! Skinny women looks great in clothes, fit women looked better naked.

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sterry393

20 Fans

01:35 PM on 01/08/2013

Not ugly in the least,but for me not sexy or demure at all.

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2ndcornets

39 Fans

01:05 PM on 01/08/2013

Wow, what a woman !. I wished she lived near me with snow forecast and a sloped drive to push the car up. Crikey, she could probably carry the thing up to the road on her own while i made her a nice breakfast. Wow, and Wow again !!. I am a bloke by the way.

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