We may be in the midst of a recession, but pageant contestants aren’t letting that get in the way of their quest for the crown. In the past, pageant hopefuls approached local businesses for cash and product sponsorship in order to afford the thousands of dollars necessary to compete. But with the economic recession, businesses are sending out a clear message that pageants are not a top priority. As a result, pageant contestants this year have relied on persistence, craftiness and self-reliance in obtaining sponsorship and ‘freebies’ to continue with their pageant dreams.
In fact, pageants all around the world are taking a hit this year. The Miss Great Britain competition was cancelled earlier this year due to a lack of sponsors. The Miss Universe competition in Ireland also announced that this year’s competition would be a scaled-back affair. As companies increasingly feel the strain of the recession, they too are pulling out as sponsors for the often lavish event.
“Recessionistas”
Because of this, pageant hopefuls are having to work extra hard this year. Take Elliot, a 20-year old student at Ryerson University. She calls her sponsorship experience a “journey of persistence.” She started out by sending 20 letters to 20 different businesses in her hometown of Beaverton, Ontario.
“I guess I was naive and thought that it would be easy to get sponsors right away. Because my town is so small, I thought the owners who knew me would definitely donate,” she says. Instead, after following up with all 20 businesses, she received only one donation of $20 from a local health and natural therapy shop.
Instead of letting that discourage her, she found inspiration in the sole contribution. She immediately put up a sign in her bedroom which read “Little victories: $20,” to keep her spirits up. “It reminded me that every dollar donated would help me,” she says.
She decided to change her approach, instead focussing on obtaining product sponsorship. She recruited fashion students who designed and sewed free gowns for her, and managed to convince Ryerson University president Sheldon Levy to donate to the pageant’s charity. She also put out a number of pleas in local newspapers asking for dress and clothing sponsors, which resulted in a local clothing boutique offering to lend her a free dress.
On top of all of this, she also works three part-time jobs at Ryerson, in the admissions office and in one of the student residences.
“This pageant isn’t even about me anymore,” she says. “It’s about all the people who are sponsoring me, helping me and encouraging me along the way.”
On top of the funds each girl needs to raise for the competition, they’re also encouraged to raise funds for charity. According to Elliot, the girls have been extremely creative with their fundraising ideas, holding events ranging from Elvis impersonator competitions to bachelor and bachelorette auctions. “Lots of girls are doing really smart, fun things,” she says.
Another pageant hopeful―also a Ryerson student―Amanda MacLennan, held a fundraiser in her hometown of Burlington, recruiting local bands to play for free and selling raffle tickets at the event.
In order to meet pageant costs―including clothing, gowns, shoes, makeup and transportation costs―MacLennan says that she has learned to become a “recessionista.” She credits the recession with helping her stay budget-conscious when preparing for the pageant. Despite her fundraising efforts, the bulk of the pageant costs are still coming out of her own pocket. “You can’t think short term,” she says. “Before buying anything, I make sure to think about whether or not it’s going to pay off in the long run.”
Pageants as a priority?
Why are these girls willing to work so hard and part with their hard-earned money, especially in times of recession? Many of these girls see the pageant as a personal statement, a way of marking a chapter of personal accomplishment in their lives.
MacLennan, for example, has struggled with weight all of her life and at her heaviest, weighed in at 200 pounds. Parading her now-svelte body in the pageant is a way of celebrating her new healthy lifestyle.
Elliot, on the other hand, sees the pageant as a personal challenge. She says that she grew up “really shy,” and so the pageant is a way to show people that she’s overcome that.
Other girls see pageants as an worthwhile expenditure. “It’s a personal investment, in the sense that you’re gaining a lot of confidence. But it’s also an opportunity to travel and see the world,” says Sabeen Chaudhary, another Miss World Canada contestant.
The winner of Miss World Canada, for example, wins an all-expenses paid trip to South Africa for the Miss World final competition.
On top of that, the girls are young, many of them still students, and are just out to have some fun. “Just because it’s a recession doesn’t mean your attitude has to be negative and against anything fun,” says Elliot. “You don’t have to live your life being miserable.”
Towards the end of the pageant, Chaudhary stepped up to the microphone for the judge’s questioning. “What is your life’s motto?” the judges wanted to know.
Chaudhary thought for a second before breaking into a big smile. “Live each day like it’s your last,” she said, as the audience erupted in applause.