What is Commercial Modeling?

Outside of the modeling industry, when people think of models, they typically think of glamorous photoshoots and high fashion runway shows. Most people don’t realize that there are several different categories of modeling, and not all models do all the different types.

In this post, I will go over what Commercial Modeling is and some common aspects of this type of modeling.

Wendy's ad campaign

First things first, what is commercial modeling? Commercial modeling is a pretty big umbrella, unlike fashion/editorial modeling (which I’ll cover in another post!). Brand campaigns, advertisements, billboards, catalogs, and product packaging are examples of modeling jobs that fall under the commercial umbrella.

The purpose of commercial models is to sell or promote a product, so you will see a much more diverse range of models used for these jobs. The height, size, and age requirements for models in this genera are much less strict because the companies are trying to appeal to the masses. They want to relate to everyday people, so they want models who look more like the average person so their potential customers can more easily connect with that brand.

A lot of models turn their noses up at the idea of mainly being a commercial model, but while the high-fashion scene may get more media attention and seem much more glamorous, the commercial jobs often end up paying more and have more booking opportunities, so you get more consistent work. It is also essential to know what types of models the clients in your area are booking to know if you need to adjust your portfolio to be more on the commercial side or more edgy/high-fashion. If you’re in a city with many big brands such as Nike, Target, Macy’s, or Old Navy (or a high concentration of people that buy from those brands), chances are you’re in a commercial market.

When people think of runway shows, they generally consider them high-fashion events, but runway shows can also be commercial. They will display more ready-to-wear clothing styles and use a much more diverse range of models instead of the typical high-fashion model so they can appeal to a much wider audience.

If you have always wanted to model but feel you are too short, too old, etc., you could still have a place in the commercial modeling world. As I mentioned above, the requirements for commercial models are much more relaxed and cover such a broad range of categories that they need a diverse range of models.

I hope this post helped you get a better idea of what commercial modeling is and the place it holds in the fashion industry! As always, it’s best to do your research to better understand your local market and what category of modeling you best fit into.

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