Is GIRLS Right About Advertorials Sucking?

I was conflicted in last week's episode of GIRLS. Not about Marnie and Ray's hookup fest but about Hannah Horvath's disdain for advertorials. I mean are advertorials that bad? I guess I don't even notice them when I read print magazines, so I can't fairly judge their journalistic quality (they're usually lists with tiny photos or a collage of products right?), but when it comes to digital brand content, the line between editorial and advertising blur much much more. 

Credit: HBO/Craig Blankenhorn

In the last two years, there has been an exodus of Fashion Magazine Editors migrating to retailers like J.Crew, Artizia and Kate Spade to develop their brand content offering, which typically includes a blog or digital magazine and an active social media presence. I recently downloaded ASOS's Fashion Up app, which is a monthly interactive magazine filled with fashion editorial spreads, trend spotting, interviews and how-to tutorials. 

If ASOS's Fashion Up app is the direction brand content is heading, then Hannah shouldn't be so down on herself for writing on behalf of brands. I mean her "stories" could fit so well for the handful of hipster brands targeting the Brooklyn-dwelling 20-something year old. I'm hoping in tonight's episode, Hannah gets herself together.

I Would Read Lena Dunham's Book Because Her Self-Awareness is Incredible

My fiancé who works at Random House told me about Lena Dunham's book right before the press pounced upon the $3.5 million dollar book deal. Everyone seems to have an opinion on whether she deserves the high price tag and whether she's worth the hype (acclaimed movie, HBO show, Emmy nomination, now, book deal!)--my simple opinion: I think she deserves her success. Because she, I'm sure, worked very hard for it.

I re-watched a couple episodes of GIRLS, the one where Marnie breaks up with her boyfriend and the finale, and it occurs to me as I'm watching that no other show about 20-somethings is able to feel as raw, authentic and complex and at the same time look easy than Dunham's portrayal of four girls surviving the city. Lena sees the humor and subtle meaning in the everyday. She understands the universal feeling of having to (and being scared to) grow-up, prioritizing relationships and finding fulfillment in a job. She's not afraid to admit that girls can be a "tease", "users" and stereotypically insecure. She's not afraid to be naked. She literally gives it her all in her work.

Some people may not understand her humor or look past her background or look past her use of an all-white cast (has anyone seen a Tyler Perry movie?), but what I see is a talented, brave girl that is working hard and deserves to have her cake and eat it too.