Reasons for Model's Salaries?

Question

Sure, they're pretty faces and they represent the brand and all, but why are they being paid SO high? Why does a woman who just sits in front of the camera get paid more than a lawyer working their butt off, in some cases? What about their profession warrants their high salaries? What is it that they do that's so special? Are they just paid to be "beautiful"? I think that's utterly ridiculous, if not discriminatory.

Like, Suzy Parker being the first model to make $100 a day and $100,000 a year. And Linda Evangelista saying she doesn't get out of bed for less than $10,000. Why do they get multi-million dollar contracts with brands just to pose? They're not doing anything productive for society.

"it's because they provide an obvious servince" No, simon, they don't. They aren't doing anything at all for the world other than standing and promoting the sale of over-price fabric! Who came up with paying them so much?

Answer 1

Scarcity. Sure, there are lots of girls (and guys?) who want to be models, but there are very few who are absolutely dedicated to it, have the "look" as well as the versatlilty in appearance to make a living at it. Marketers understand that advertisments have to appeal to the target audience. What audience is more superficial than teenagers? So thus, they need a constant supply of fresh, young smiling faces. The exceptional ones get a few years of exceptional pay, but they're washed up by 35.

Modeling can be hard work, from what I understand. There's a lot of rejection and no guarantee of salary or benefits. It's not a long term career path, since youth and beauty are fleeting. All in all, the pay has to be high at the top to encourage people to keep trying. Think pro-sports or drug runners. Only a few make any money, and it's easy to loose everything on one bad decision.

Answer 2

Its cuz they are celebrities. Beauty is power. And in the media-controlled world we live in today, if you´re pretty and you´re famous you can ask for most anything. Im sure its not an easy job havin to by beautiful 24/7, and even if you are that physically blessed, still, alota the money goes to the promotin of the person. If you leave the limelight for even the shortest while, ppl lose interest or forget you. Hence its a constant struggle for them. Yes i agree, its kind of like a discrimination, that they get higher salaries than a lawyer or doctor perhaps, but modellin isnt the only job thatz ridiculously unfair in that sense. You´ve gotta have good advertizin if you want to be successful...its kinda sad, but its just how the world works.

Answer 3

There's several levels of model pay. Companies are willing to pay top dollar to those whose image can sell products to lots of people and/or get a higher price for their product because of the model tie-in. So, rather than getting paid for their time, they're getting paid for the quantity of product their image can move.

There are tons of models, though, that don't make that kind of dough. They're the more generic type. Might as well be mannequins. Those types of models are usually paid based on their time.

Lawyers, on the other hand, work for one person or company at a time. They don't have much opportunity sell things to lots of people. So, their pay - which is usually decent enough - is tied more to what the time and labor they put into their work product.

Answer 4

It's a way of increasing their value/appeal/etc. in our minds. They get paid a lot, the tabloids airbrush their photos and some of us are convinced that they're worthy of our admiration or envy.

Consider what models are selling. A lot of it is expensive clothing, goods with a price tag that far exceeds the intrinsic worth. AND the trickle down effect to lower-priced 'fashions' -- most of us don't actually need any more clothing, so they convince us that what we own is out-of-date and we need to buy new things. If you doubt this, take a good look at how ridiculous and unflattering a lot of women's clothing is.

The glamour and lifestyle of models and other celebs is part of how they create this artificial desire. If models were paid less, they'd be 'valued' less by the masses and they would be less valuable as sales agents. It's all about perception.

Answer 5

It's the same as asking "Why are teachers paid less than footballers?", it's because they provide an obvious servince, at the front of a company or brand whereas others are more backgrounded.

Answer 6

Because most men are hormone-driven drooling morons... (speaking as one myself! God, I'm ashamed to be male!)

Answer 7

who knows maybe they will buy some food so their bones won't show.

Answer 8

sex sells