This woman’s story of why her face is on adverts all over the world is amazing (and a cautionary tale for us all)
After her face was used in a McDonald’s advert in China, South African author Shubnum Khan thought she’d explain how she ended up appearing in adverts all over the world, and it’s quite a tale.
1.
So today I'm going to tell you the story of How I Ended Up with my Face On a McDonald's Advert in China – A Cautionary Tale. Six or so years ago, a friend in Canada posted a pic on my FB wall to say she found an advert of me promoting immigration in a Canadian newspaper. pic.twitter.com/QJ0nWpYNmQ
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
2.
Naturally I was shocked and… confused. I studied the pic and agreed that it was me. Now I didn’t mind that I was promoting immigration in Canada but I couldn’t understand why my face was in a paper all the way on that side of the world. pic.twitter.com/GBquWEFlek
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
3.
After some wtf moments, a friend reminded me we did a photoshoot a few years ago. When I was at university I heard about a free photoshoot by a CT photographer who promised us professional portraits in exchange for shooting us. It was called the 100 Faces Shoot & the photographer
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
4.
took photos of 100 various faces of all ages & races in Durban. Young friends & I were excited; we signed a release form at the start (I thought it was to give him permission to use the photos for his portfolio). We didn’t read the small print. I know. It was stupid. pic.twitter.com/wAykaSpcub
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
5.
So I contact the photographer and he says, yeah, we signed away these photos (we took 3 photos – straight faced, smiling and crazy) and they’re now stock photos that he sells. He says I might start popping up in places. So I start a reverse google search of these images & well, pic.twitter.com/etwsDanNEk
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
6.
It feels like I sell everything! If I’m not welcoming immigrants to Canada, I’m selling carpets in NYC, leading treks in Cambodia, or looking for love in France.
Let’s start with something light: here I’m the face for dental sedation in Virginia Beach. Innocent enough, you say, pic.twitter.com/KScqqLCoLx
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
7.
but then I get into the hard stuff and I’m all about getting rid of those pesky eye bags. Haloxyl is the stuff to inhibit facial muscle tightening and is the buzzword (obvs) in anti-ageing eye cream pic.twitter.com/38pzU18Ybo
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
8.
And then suddenly all this facial work has you getting attention and you’re Dina M, with a baby and post pregnancy melasma until Dermolyte comes to the rescue and gives you photoshopped finished skin. pic.twitter.com/uC0BXZfiwU
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
9.
But also, some hyper-pigmentation just doesn’t leave and then you must resign yourself to your fate with a sad glare, pic.twitter.com/rJsKLSySxx
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
10.
but once that’s all treated you can grace some book and magazine covers. pic.twitter.com/GwBOziNUmS
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
11.
I can also take on new identities. The most shocking of these are adverts to teach & care for kids – so who is actually with the kids? When I asked the photographer abt this, he says I signed away rights to ‘distortion of character including false names’. pic.twitter.com/2MzIZPAfi5
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
12.
Also, I love my ethnicity varies according to whim. I’m Seng Bonny leading Cambodian tours, Phoebe Lopez from San Francisco, Kelsi from San Francisco, Chandra from California, Christine from LaTrobe Uni, Dina M etc. pic.twitter.com/p105obTnLH
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
13.
I’ve also looked for love online on a French dating website. This roughly translates to: ‘I’m here, do not click too hard I’m fragile. Here I am looking prince charming of my dreams, who comes on his white horse to steal my heart…’ pic.twitter.com/Qod17B3LSf
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
14.
Again, the face of positive immigration in Uruguay. (TBH I don’t really mind the ads promoting immigration). pic.twitter.com/6JGr1cArhX
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
15.
And the list goes on; numerous testimonials for different products, someone spotted a poster at a bustop in London, posters for McDonald’s in India, China and S Korea, banking brochures, eye clinics, make up websites, laser eye treatments etc. pic.twitter.com/D9ODY9k45R
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
16.
So beside the fact that all of us were never paid for ANY of these advertisements, there’s also the misleading and downright dishonesty of promoting these products. Eventually I contacted the photographer and said I didn’t know I signed up for any of this, pic.twitter.com/ocpacnYd0W
— Shubnum Khan (@ShubnumKhan) July 28, 2018
