I’m in a Duluth Trading TV Commercial!
I’m so excited to be a part of the Duluth Trading Company’s “No-Yank Tank” national commercial! Here’s how it happened:
The evening chill had settled in, and the glow of lights lit up the fields. Bob Marley was crooning over the speakers while the sweat of a cold beer trickled down my glass, wetting my hand.
I looked around at the glow of the setting sun, listening to the excited chatter of the crew with whom I had just spent the last five days shooting a national TV commercial as a Duluth Trading Company Woman.
Silently I muttered to myself with a squeal of excitement and gratefulness, “Thank you, God.”
While I’m not wildly religious, how could I not thank the universe for bringing into existence a life that has afforded me the opportunity to travel and see places I had never seen before?
The location was absolutely beautiful…
How could I not thank the universe for yanking me from a “day job” that sucked me into the fear of ever venturing out on my own?
When did these beautiful fields and fun locations become my “office”?
I sipped my beer, enjoying the pizza, and watched the laughing faces around me rewarding themselves for a job well done, celebrating the success of shooting an amazing commercial.
Earlier in the week, I had been comparing myself to the other two models, apprehensive that I was a third wheel that didn’t really belong.
After all, they were tall and thin. And I, dear readers, am tall but curvy with a mom-gut.
They had straight hair. And I, curly hair.
Their pictures graced the pages of the catalog, and mine had barely graced the bottom of their promotional emails.
Their smiling pretty faces hung in the store, inviting customers to be beautiful, strong, and confident. And my pictures were likely stashed in a “Can’t Use These” folder on someone’s over-crowded external hard drive.
I didn’t want to feel like an insecure teenager, but I couldn’t help but feel like the new kid on the block that had to prove herself worthy of being included with the in-crowd.
We were all three model winners, yet they’d come so far and were clearly photogenic favorites. (And rightly so. Their pictures were amazing!).
But during that week, as we dined together, laughed together, joked about taking care of our “lady business,” shared our families, our thoughts, and our opinions on hot topics in current events….it became clear on why we were all there.
We were there because we were beautiful, yes, but because we are bad-asses. We’re strong women, physically and mentally, in careers that are both physically and mentally demanding. We’re building things, creating things, digging up things, working in fields, yet still feminine and soft and pretty. We’re not afraid to work hard and look good while doing it.
We’re women that go for seconds, who say “yes” to junk food, who love a good beer.
We’re not fussy and pretentious.
We’re tomboys at heart who know how to pull our weight, yet are beautiful, inside and out.
And I, power tool and paintbrush in her hand, am one of them.
Photo courtesy of David Nevala
It didn’t matter that they’re hanging in stores and I’m not.
It no longer mattered that I haven’t yet been in the catalog. (They earned it, after all).
What mattered is that I was there.
I was included. I was asked.
Someone saw value and potential in me and this blog and what I could bring to the image of being a strong woman.
Yes—beauty is a woman, tall and thin, with pretty side braids and tendrils framing her face as she sweats it out in the field.
But a beautiful woman also has a mop of curls, a curvy butt, and a power tool and paintbrush in her hand. (She may even have a mom-gut from birthing a litter of kids. HA!)
So I let go of my insecurities this week in trying to find where I belonged and determined that I was now creating a new standard of what strong and beautiful is for a brand that is just beginning to show that side of other types of women.
And as I boarded the plane to head back to Maryland, thoughts of their compliments drift through my mind (“You’re a natural on camera”….”You take direction in front of the camera so well”…”The camera loves you!”) and I feel so blessed to have been given this opportunity to be such a trailblazer.
Photo courtesy of David Nevala
Yes, this is my life now.
This is what I’m meant to be doing.
There’s no turning back now.
Here’s the Duluth Trading Company “No-Yank” Commercial!
So excited that this commercial has aired on DIY Network, HGTV, MSNBC, OWN Network, Lifetime, and more!
Thanks for following along on this journey!
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So thrilled for you, can’t wait to see the commercial! You are so lovely and so talented and so deserving. (I teared up, too, and I’m not the crying kind)!
Oh, wow, my words touched you, too, Kim?! 🙂 Man, you and my mom are making me feel like a rockstar writer. LOL! 🙂 I’m excited to see the commercial, too! I can’t wait!
What an inspiration you are!! So proud of your accomplishments and anxious to find out what’s next for you!!
That means a lot, Julia! Thank you for the support, girlfriend! 🙂
What an awesome opportunity! Looks like it was a lot of fun! You’re doing what you love. Keep smiling !
Hi, Debbie! Yes, it’s a lot of fun! I really love traveling and I am thankful for the opportunity!! 🙂 Thank you!
Serena, You’e beautiful inside and out which is one of the traits that makes you so special. You deserve all the success and joy your hard work brings! You are a natural & I’m so happy for you!
Thank you, Wendi! You have been an awesome and supportive friend, for sure!! 🙂 Thanks, girl!
Girl, you are just as gorgeous as they are! Can’t wait to see the commercial. The more important question is…did you sand your feet first?!?!?!!?
HAHAHA, Susan!!! I have NOT sanded my feet yet! LOL I knew I had the commercial coming up and didn’t want to embarrass myself. LOL! I didn’t have any feet shot, though, thankfully! You’ve just reminded me to do my feet this week!
You go girl!!! Don’t let anything hold you back!
There are no holds barred, Wendy! LOL!! Thank you, girl!
Haha! I am laughing at you right now. When I was your age, I was a beauty and always felt insecure too because my hair was curly, I was curvy and my skin wasn’t perfect…………however, at 53, I look back and those photos of me in my 30’s and especially my 40’s and think I must have been out of my cotton pickin’ mind! And you are too!
While you may not be the traditional beauty like the chick in back with blonde hair and a dimple in her chin (God, I would have given anything to have had one of those!) you do look just like an All-American Girl Next Door and I truly hope you have relaxed and accepted that you are beautiful and you do belong!
I never did and those days are over for me……….there are very few women who look classically beautiful into old age…………I wish I could have had them back. I enjoyed the hell out of them but I would have been able to feel that power to a much higher degree if I had let myself. Part of it was that it was instilled i n me that good southern young ladies never ever allowed themselves to enjoy being good looking and never acquiesced to it either. You do that, damn it! And I’ll be looking for you on the TV this fall!
You say the same thing I do, Kelli! When I’m talking to friends, I always remind us during conversations that in 10 years….20 years….we’ll WISH we looked like we did 10 and 20 years ago. LOL. I do like the way I look and I am very confident. But being in the spotlight where I’m being PAID to make my clothes look good on camera and in photo, that is where the self-consciousness comes. I can’t seem to get these 10-15 pounds off of me and KEEP them off. And when I’m in the spotlight, I’m more aware of them! I will keep your comment in mind about being out of your “cotton pickin’ mind”! LOL Because I’m sure in 10 years, 20 years, I will struggle even more with weight. So I better enjoy those “measly” 10-15 pounds! HAHA Thanks for keeping it real, Kelli!
Serena you are beautiful and very very talented. You should not think anyone is better then you. You have shown us women how to handle many things, we thought only our husbands could do. Its no surprise
that women can do these things ,by them selves. Thank you for being who you are.
Congrats on your success.
Awww…thank you, Betty! 🙂 Thanks for the support!
Serena you are beautiful and very very talented. You should not think anyone is better then you. You have shown us women how to handle many things, we thought only our husbands could do. Its no surprise
that women can do these things ,by them selves. Thank you for being who you are.
Congratson your success.
Hi Serena,
Second post don’t know if the first was suscessful. Your story is a testimony of hope. However, I’m so proud of all your accomplishments. In life we began and continue always looking to HOPE, knowing that God does open doors. Yes! we all have a place and when we’re patient and humble God land us with favor.
Thank you, Lindia!!