Booth Babes?

I didn't read a lick of this other than op's post but here goes-

I don't care about booth girlies. Not one bit. If I am at an automotive venue looking at automotive things, I'm not thinking about women. I'm thinking about the car. I really don't care who's draped over the thing or standing next to it, as long as they can answer my questions. I usually go to shows armed to the teeth with technical questions, because that's what I want to know, not how big your assets are. There's been many times where I've completely flummoxed everyone in a given booth because I start wandering outside of what's in the brochure. I don't doubt that some of these ladies are intelligent, but if they can't tell me what random questions I want to know (poor Chevy guy had no chance) they're of no use to me. Not to mention, what they hire for booth babes might fall in the lines of hot, or smoking or whatever- that is usually not my definition of attractive. I prefer simple, clean, down home, no makeup style. YMMV and all, but that's my say.

And remember. Most of the pills your doctor pushes are sold by "pharmaceutical reps". Those are some BABES! Errrr, I mean well trained professional young ladies who in no way trade on their prodigious.....assets.

Lesley wrote: But I truly believe that objectifying women is really harmful to the psyche of our young people – it plants the idea that there's an impossible level of physical perfection to live up to, and that it's acceptable to use women to flog merchandise. Love to hear what the GRM hive mind has to say on this topic!

It plants the idea that there's an impossible level of physical perfection to live up to only if they're idiots. You don't see anybody saying that about men. I have average looks, and am below average height, but don't look at those hunky male models as being anything other than more fortunate than me in the looks department. That's the way it goes. Nothing I can do about it.

Lesley wrote: Saw an interview with Pestorius yesterday – didn't realize he was such a babe. Now I'm doubly rooting for him to do well.

I'm so confused.

People use their sexuality and looks to their advantage. Some people use their intelligence to their advantage. Booth babes are here because they want to be here, and people like seeing them.

Heck, some women enjoy being objectified and admired. Is it really that much different than admiring someone for their creativity or intelligence?

Lesley: Please take the enchiridion of rarely used words away from your friend who wrote the article.

huh, I was at Sema, in the booth with the Sema staff, when the incident happened that caused them to implement a dress code for booth girls. It was a woman that made the final call.

The offending outfit? There wasn't one. It took 3 girls being naked in nothing but body paint with a wheel painted on their chest to finally be chastised. I meet more "adult entertainment professionals" at Sema than I ever have before. That all being said, booth babes have changed. I have noticed less and less nudity, and more form fitting clothing and dresses. Sure there are the occasional over the top, pulled from the local strip club attendees out there but for the most part they are trying to put a nice face to a more professional appearance.

Be it a form fitting professional dress or suit, or a shiny drivers suit with all the logos a pro driver would have it. There has been a shift back toward more imagination required booth babes.

Now, sex sells. It is a base instinct. We are programmed for it and that is why having a sexy member of the opposite sex to bring people into a booth works. As long as humans want to procreate to continue the species, it will work on a base level. Now a balance needs to be found. I remember the Lucas booth when Morgan Lucas was signing autographs. They also had a model of some sort lined up. Men lined up for the girls, the few woman there and the men lined up for Morgan's signature. I will let you figure out why.

In the end, marketeers will do what marketeers will do. For the GRM community we would be just as stoked to meet the engineers responsible for the issue as we would what ever faux celebrity they are using as a draw, male or female.

But we aren't the norm. We are the exception. We are the ones that don't buy enough used cars to have all car companies compete for our business. We, for the lack of a kind term, don't count.

Keep the booth babes, if you are selling a car to a female demographic, get some booth dudes. Just keep them covered enough to where the easily offended of the society won't take protest levels of offense.

BTW, women sell to both men AND women.

That's why most real estate salespeople are women.

I have a friend who manages about 3500 apartments. ALL of his salespeople are women. Female clients feel more comfortable talking to a woman, and male clients like to look.

Well, actually he just hired his first male salesperson. He's gay.

I'm a designer that gets to help figure out a season's trade show efforts are going to be. Like many have said, a handsome woman will get some short term attention to the exhibit. However, it doesn't really add up to numbers that my clients use to measure success. Folks tend to post images of great cars more than great women. One client produces a video every season that does mix motorsports and pretty gals, those gals are at the show as the video runs. Dudes stand and get a pic taken with her...doing the "hover hand" embrace. But honestly, it's the hooning video that gets the smiles and comments.

Finding a pretty gal that will wear not much in Las Vegas isn't much of a challenge. With that said, a "booth babes" that can speak intelligently about a product are very valuable in my world.

Most of us guys who like to have technical discussions with the salespeople are probably not buying. We are talking. We are not the demographic they are trying to attract.

In reply to freestyle:

Umm... Ok, but it's the babe picture YOU posted.

Sorry, didn't make it out of the first paragraph. I don't like the 'I'm smart. Just read my big words' writing style that seems to end up in blogs.
I don't care about booth babes. I like to look, I'd be lying if I said a pretty woman isn't nice to look at. It turns your head....in the direction of the products they are selling. That's what they are trying to do. I just hope they keep it tame enough that I don't have to cover my kids eyes.

It doesn't matter to me if booth babes are at the shows or not. John Q. Public votes with his wallet, not his heart.

HiTempguy wrote: Isn't the whole concept of modeling, in and of itself, turning women (and men) into objects for viewing? At the end of the day, I really dislike the fact that people make it out like only women are viewed as objects. On the flip side, for any woman (or man) who is cool with it, who are WE to say they can't be an object to someone if they consent to it? I think society is different nowadays in that "back in the day" women were secondary to men. Nowadays, its the woman's choice to be an object, rather than an obligation/demand.

Good grief.....the planets must be aligned or something......because I have been agreeing with hitemp a bit much lately.

I'll just leave this here:

http://uproxx.com/webculture/2014/12/coca-cola-naked-milk-ads/ (NSFW pictures, you've been warned).

Opinions on here are just as divided as in the discussions we've been having. As I said, I'm sure not opposed to people embracing their sexuality – and I readily admit expressing my admiration. But is it demeaning to admire firemen? I don't see their intellect or abilities being belittled. To me, pictures of bare-chested, washboard-abs young dudes are as empty and gratuitous as cheesy bikini shots. On the other hand, seeing someone in their element, doing something incredibly well and enjoying it... is smoking hot to me.

One of you mentioned being disturbed at how men are being portrayed as clowns or oafish. I agree - I despise that sort of humour, or the tendency that some women have of rolling their eyes and referring to their "helpless" mates, or even worse, those who blame men for every wrong doing on the planet.

I don't know if there's a "right" answer. I know how I felt as an attractive 19 year old, when the only job I could get that paid enough to survive and save for college... entailed wearing tight pants and putting up with men leering. Even when I started working in the newspaper industry...Didn't matter that I was smart, or that I worked twice as hard as, and had more responsibilities than some of my male co-workers - I was still patronized and once even referred to as a "bit of fluff" by male colleagues. Nobody deserves that.

In reply to Lesley:

With all due respect, it's really about your feelings, and how you choose to interpret the info around you.

Most men WISH some girl would notice them physically.

Why does it matter so much to you that some bonehead called you "a bit of fluff"? You know you are not. I am called MUCH worse things almost daily- just don't pay attention.

And, it's really not true that the only job you could get that paid well involved what you wore. It was a choice. Men make choices too.

I have hired young women to work construction jobs and paid them exactly the same as men, sometimes more.

There are 4 different all-women painting crews I am aware of in my town. They make $20- 30 per hour.

I was once offered quite a bit of money to do nude modeling. Turned it down, because I didn't want to do it.

Some of the things those crude guys say out loud that are perceived by women as an insult would be considered a compliment to a guy.

I understand there are gender issues here that have something to do with self esteem. But you can't go through life assuming the worst and worrying about what you THINK people are thinking.

Who the berkeley cares?

In reply to Lesley:

BTW, I am pretty sure the vast majority of (male) members on THIS SITE know you are smart, talented, hard working, and responsible.

Choose what voices you listen to.

In reply to Lesley:

My memory of the fireman thing is that it was shirtless beefcake fireman shots, so no, I honestly see no difference whatsoever.

SVreX wrote: I am called MUCH worse things almost daily- just don't pay attention.

Allright. I'll stop sending the e-mails then.

SVreX wrote: I was once offered quite a bit of money to do nude modeling. Turned it down, because I didn't want to do it.

Then I'll stop calling too. Jeez!

Believe me, in the late 70s, early 80s, in this all-white, working class town... I could not find a job that didn't involve slinging beer. Interesting reading, I like that this thread has stayed civil.

In reply to Lesley:

I'm sorry, but the "only good paying jobs for a young woman entails wearing tight pants" is just BS. My cousin who was a young attractive woman decided that she wasn't going to wear tight pants unlike all her other attractive young friends. So she worked in a chicken processing plant as a student. She was one of the rare (and only attractive) woman to work at that place. She picked up chicken guts. It paid as as well as the other type of job, but it involved other sacrifices. It's all a question of choice.

And the people that called you a "bit of fluff", would have probably called your male equivalent a "dumbass know-it-all" or something.

As far as booth girls, I don't understand their presence, but who am I to say they can't be there. As long as they are dressed in way that is appropriate in a public setting.

Having spent most of the year at the only factory job I could get here, at $2.90... I opted for the bar job. It helped me save money for college. If there was another option, believe me, I'd have taken it.

I never had put much thought into the subject until a few months ago at the Import Face Off in Tucson. I was there with my 6 year old daughter looking a the cars and checking out the drags. About halfway through the event, 2 women dressed in nothing walk past looking completely out of place. My daughter turned to me and asked, "why are those women walking around in there underwear?" I didn't have answer.

On the subject of questions kids ask, another gem in response to money doesn't grow on trees resulted in "what does it grow on?"

Lesley wrote: On the other hand, seeing someone in their element, doing something incredibly well and enjoying it... is smoking hot to me.

I was just going to read now and again, but now I have to comment.

You're wrong.

If I sent you a picture of me in my cube working on the latest project to save $XX million dollars on our contracts each year, you would not be the least bit interested. Forget for a moment that I'm a mostly bald skinny nerd.

If a picture can be attractive to you without knowing the person, then you're guilty of the same thing you're accusing these folks whom hire booth babes (or go to booths because of the babes) of.

I love the female form, but to be brutally honest, I'm personally not a fan of the booth babe.

Poor girls! Accident of birth and genetics drop them in a visual niche that is attracting scorn and ridicule. Then they adopt habits such as diet and exercise that burden them with low fat, toned muscles and clear skin. I hear the haters all the time..."Eat a burger", "Do REALLY need to work out again", "You need to cover up!"

Babe discrimination...shame on you! Even I have initial reactions, both physical and mental towards these somewhat abnormal humans, but I deal with it. Some of my best friends are totally bodacious babes.

Bruce