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FM
Miss Perfect Profile
Status: Falsely captioned
Technique of Fakery: False Caption.
Date and Time Period: ca. 1950; (1940-1959)
Themes: Advertising, Striking a Pose
Arthur Davis, head of the New York-based modeling agency Arthur Davis Associates, devised a novel way to get his models featured in newspapers. He submitted their pictures to the papers, accompanied by the claim that they had recently been awarded a title, such as "Miss Perfect Profile." He invented phony organizations, such as the "Plastic Surgeons Institute" to be the awarders of these titles.

Davis figured that the phony titles would make the photos seem newsworthy. Papers gladly took the bait, and his models received lots of publicity.

The top photo shows "Miss Perfect Profile." At other times she was "Miss Outdoor Girl." The bottom photo shows "Miss Water Conservation." More photos of Davis's models can be viewed in the Hoaxipedia.
References:
• “Speaking of pictures… A press agent’s fakes get printed.” (Feb 27, 1950). Life: 12-13.


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