Protein World - "How could we possibly be sexist?"

Alatariel75

http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/model-renee-somerfield-hits-back-at-are-you-bikini-ready-social-media-storm-20150427-1mtzkt.html

In response to billboards throughout London - which feature a size 6 model in a bikini and asking "Are you Beach Body Ready?" - being criticised as body shaming and implying that only people with "perfect" bodies are beach ready, the Protien World has hit back, saying:

"We are a nation of sympathisers for fatties... Why make your insecurities our problem?"

and then following up with:

"We now run Britain's largest protein facility, selling our products in over 50 countries to more than 300,000 customers. Most of them are women. How could we possibly be sexist?"

... by convincing women that they need to spend a fortune on your products in order to have a"beach body"?

isulo_kura

How to have a beach body? Take your body to the beach. Job done One of the biggest fitness cons over the past few years has been the 'Protein' industry IMO.

livingleanlivingclean

isulo_kura wrote: »

How to have a beach body? Take your body to the beach. Job done One of the biggest fitness cons over the past few years has been the 'Protein' industry IMO.

How to have a bikini body... Put on a bikini

The supplement industry is partly to blame for everyone thinking they need to eat a million times a day. Pfft.

Psychgrrl

The company's responses are what it truly pathetic. I guess alienating your customer base is the new marketing scheme.

Lourdesong

Seemed like a pretty benign ad to me. I guess if you really overthink things, every advertiser is shaming people about something. If you're not inadequate, you won't need their product.

The CEO should have ignored it. The manufactured outrage machine that is Twitter would have something new to foam-at-the-mouth over in a day or 2.

1987RFS

A subway ad had a picture of a bikini model with the text "are you beach body ready?". What a cruel world we live in.

Alatariel75

I actually wouldn't bat an eyelid at the ad if I saw it, it's more their response to criticism that floored me.

1987RFS

Sure, he's certainly lacking tact and professionalism, but I'm not seeing where the accusation of sexism is based off of. There's a good argument to be made that he is shallow and prejudiced against fat persons, but sexism is a serious flaw (not that anti-fat is great either) and people shouldn't just slander others when they feel upset by something. I don't have much respect for the CEO, but I don't believe his ad implied "that women should look a certain way for public consumption" rather that was assumed by some insecure folk.

SoulOfRusalka

The CEO sounds like an immature douchecanoe.

rawk_fairy_666

I am not usually one to agree with the raging feminists, but this one does annoy me. It's the implication that unless you look like this, you are not 'beach ready', and shouldn't be seen in a bikini etc. It doesn't just affect overweight women, but slim women who don't have the perfect airbrushed body portrayed here.

1987RFS wrote: »

Sure, he's certainly lacking tact and professionalism, but I'm not seeing where the accusation of sexism is based off of. There's a good argument to be made that he is shallow and prejudiced against fat persons, but sexism is a serious flaw (not that anti-fat is great either) and people shouldn't just slander others when they feel upset by something. I don't have much respect for the CEO, but I don't believe his ad implied "that women should look a certain way for public consumption" rather that was assumed by some insecure folk.

Why is it ok if it only upsets insecure women? Most women are insecure about their bodies, as we are constantly bombarded by the media portraying what 'perfect' is. As a young teen I constantly felt inadequate because I didn't look like that. I wish I could have seen that I had a lovely body, a normal body, rather than hating it and not looking after it properly.

I wish we could portray a bigger range of 'normal', healthy body shapes in the media. I don't want us to say being fat is ok, but I want the media to say that you need to be healthy, not skinny and airbrushed.

rawk_fairy_666

Also (sorry I'll stop ranting in a minute) the fact that they are pushing these bloody slimming rip offs at the same time drives me mad. It keys into a woman's insecurities and offers a quick fix (that we all know won't bloody work) as the solution. Not good.

KingofWisdom

How is it sexist, though? They could have easily done the exact same ad with a male. The reason they didn't is because they likely have more female customers than male. In fact, here's the very quote you posted:

"MOST of them are women. How could we possibly be sexist?"

You make money by targeting your ads to the people who are more likely to throw money at you. Period. My saying this doesn't necessarily mean I approve of the ad either. Is the ad unkind? Yes. But is it sexist? I don't think so.

rawk_fairy_666

KingofWisdom wrote: »

How is it sexist, though? They could have easily done the exact same ad with a male. The reason they didn't is because they likely have more female customers than male. In fact, here's the very quote you posted:

"MOST of them are women. How could we possibly be sexist?"

To me, this is similar to 'I have black friends, therefore I couldn't possibly be racist', when someone is called out on unacceptable behaviour.

Just because they have a large customer base of women, doesn't excuse them from portraying this image of what a woman 'should' look like. It's sexist because it once again sets a standard for women that to many is not achievable and gives the impression that a woman is not good enough to be seen on the beach unless she is like this.

The fact is they haven't used a man in this advert as obviously men can go to the beach no matter what they look like as there isn't the same expectation. Men will not respond to this sort of advertising as there just isn't the same pressure. they haven't been conditioned to expect these standards of themselves to be acceptable. They knew exactly what they were doing with this advert, now they are playing dumb.

KingofWisdom

So, you're saying they should waste money on another ad targeting men even though they have less male customers just so they won't have people calling them sexist?

rawk_fairy_666 wrote: »

The fact is they haven't used a man in this advert as obviously men can go to the beach no matter what they look like as there isn't the same expectation. Men will not respond to this sort of advertising as there just isn't the same pressure. they haven't been conditioned to expect these standards of themselves to be acceptable. They knew exactly what they were doing with this advert, now they are playing dumb.

You've obviously never seen a fat, shirtless male being laughed at for being, well, fat and shirtless.

rawk_fairy_666

I live in the UK and every day it goes above 20 degrees Celsius you will see larger men shirtless, letting it all hang out, no-one blinks an eye. now if a larger woman walked around in a bikini there would be a very different reaction.

I am not saying they should have had two advertising campaigns, they should have had one, non sexist advertising campaign, aimed at both men and women. Is it so hard to advertise something to help lose weight without relying on a woman in a bikini? What about, if you are trying to lose weight and get healthier, this might help? Add in picture of man and woman in sports gear, looking healthy and happy? Is that so hard?

LovingLife_Erin

I find his responses the sexist part. Dismissing the protesting women as "crazy" is awfully similar to the history of men dismissing women (especially those who dared to speak out) as being "hysterical". Rhetoric designed to silence women by painting them as simply emotional and unstable.

KingofWisdom

I do agree that the ad could have been done in better taste. But this is a business, not a charity.

rawk_fairy_666 wrote: »

I live in the UK and every day it goes above 20 degrees Celsius you will see larger men shirtless, letting it all hang out, no-one blinks an eye. now if a larger woman walked around in a bikini there would be a very different reaction.

Is it that it's socially unacceptable for larger women to walk around in bikinis, or is it just that most larger women choose not to walk around in bikinis, so if one does, she is drawing attention to herself by being atypical?

KarenJanine

I need a holiday, therefore my body is well and truly ready for a beach.


The responses from the CEO are what annoyed me about this too. I probably wouldn't have noticed the ad if I'd seen it IRL.

I would never use a protein company that is specifically aiming at women in any case - it's just a way to peddle over-priced wares with unnecessary extras, and contributes to the idea that men and women should eat and train differently.

rawk_fairy_666

KingofWisdom wrote: »

I do agree that the ad could have been done in better taste. But this is a business, not a charity.

Why does that make it ok? Do you not see if things like this are not challenged, the problem continues, more women are made to feel like crap, vulnerable teen girls are fed this crap and it damages their confidence etc etc etc...

I'm not naming names as its not fair, but I was contacted on here by a 15 year old girl. She is seriously restricting her calories and imo is on the way to an eating disorder. her weight is in the healthy range for her height and age, but she thinks she is fat. This is because she isn't the classic shape shown in ads like this. It breaks my heart that she feels like this, and I gave the best advice I could about being healthy, but I don't think it worked. She just wants to look the 'right' way. Adverts like this are a huge part of the problem. I can't see why that is so hard to understand.

KingofWisdom

Well, no one says anything when men are the ones being shamed. Men have body image issues too. Five to twelve percent of male high school students have used steroids by the time they are seniors. Off-topic, I know, but isn't the entire premise of viagra that you as a male are inadequate and need this magic drug to make yourself normal?

rawk_fairy_666

I'm not saying there isn't a separate issue that also needs tackling, I am just speaking of my own experiences as a woman and my view on the issues women face.

I do think that viagra is different though. Many men want a happy sex life, but suffer with ed. It is good that viagra is available. There is nothing medically wrong with many women, but they still aren't good enough because they aren't this perfect shape.

Hendrix7

I wish we could portray a bigger range of 'normal', healthy body shapes in the media. I don't want us to say being fat is ok, but I want the media to say that you need to be healthy, not skinny and airbrushed.

I agree with you pretty much but what do you consider 'normal'? size 8, size, 10, size, 12...who decides what is normal?

how have you come to the conclusion that the girl in the advert (or any advert) is not healthy, you can have no idea who is healthier between a size 6 fitness girl and a size 18 model just by looking at them. Check her Instagram she has tons of non airbrushed pics she is just in great shape

Fitness marketing is meant to inspirational, people want something to strive for.....I watch sports to see people who are better at sports than me, I read fitness mags to see people who are fitter than me.

There would have been absolutely zero backlash to this if the picture had been some dude with an insane 6 pack on it.

"We now run Britain's largest protein facility

note sure that can be true...

I'm in the uk and before this whole thing I have never even heard of this company now everyone knows about them, there is no way this is costing them tons of business like people think it is (no such thing as bad PR etc etc)

It's also laughable how it's ok to 'body shame' (i really hate that term) fitness girls/people for their 'unhealthy' ways as a response to apparent body shaming of 'normal people' - 2 wrongs don't make a right and it's just digging an even bigger hole.

pretty sad situation all round really.

rawk_fairy_666

Hendrix7 wrote: »

I wish we could portray a bigger range of 'normal', healthy body shapes in the media. I don't want us to say being fat is ok, but I want the media to say that you need to be healthy, not skinny and airbrushed.

I agree with you pretty much but what do you consider 'normal'? size 8, size, 10, size, 12...who decides what is normal?

how have you come to the conclusion that the girl in the advert (or any advert) is not healthy, you can have no idea who is healthier between a size 6 fitness girl and a size 18 model just by looking at them. Check her Instagram she has tons of non airbrushed pics she is just in great shape

Fitness marketing is meant to inspirational, people want something to strive for.....I watch sports to see people who are better at sports than me, I read fitness mags to see people who are fitter than me.

There would have been absolutely zero backlash to this if the picture had been some dude with an insane 6 pack on it.

"We now run Britain's largest protein facility

note sure that can be true...

I'm in the uk and before this whole thing I have never even heard of this company now everyone knows about them, there is no way this is costing them tons of business like people think it is (no such thing as bad PR etc etc)

I would like to see a range of women within a healthy bmi, not just at the lowest end and underweight fashion models. I would also like to see less airbrushing. just real women, what they really look like. not with their waists and thighs made smaller, not with every slight imperfection removed etc. I couldn't say exactly what dress sizes that would mean, as it varies massively I think.

Surely you can see that in the media there is nothing but flat bellied, sllim legged perfect bodies? That isn't a true representation of healthy female bodies. I know it's not a popular opinion, but I feel strongly that I want my daughter to see that real, healthy bodies do not have to look like these airbrushed pictures. I just wish the emphasis could be on health rather than how aesthetically pleasing the advert is. Again, it just reinforces the idea that a woman is there to look pretty.

Sued0nim

Actually I think it's an almost perfect marketing campaign. Just look at everyone talking about it - you can't buy that kind of coverage

And it absolutely buys into the dieters' psyche of wanting a better body .. and the psychology of wanting to look amazing in a bikini .. and it puts this protein supplement company in the heart of it ... it is going to translate directly to sales

I don't even believe it's body fascist - it's just prime advertising, standard usage of body types that society has worked to promote as desirable. And that people buy into. Nobody is saying you don't get to put on a bikini without a body like that - that's just ridiculous in real life, on any beach you have all body shapes and sizes and nobody cares.

Personally this is my favourite ever bikini shot



and this year will be the first year I've happily put on a bikini in about 20 years ...thank you CICO and weight lifting

rawk_fairy_666

I absolutely love that pic rabbitjb. She is a real, healthy woman in fantastic shape for her age.

Hendrix7

Surely you can see that in the media there is nothing but flat bellied, sllim legged perfect bodies? That isn't a true representation of healthy female bodies.

in the media as a whole yes, agree completely.

But we are talking about advertising specific to the bodybuilding/fitness industry. I don't want to pick up a copy of mens health filled with people who aren't in great shape........what's the point?

LinaBo

"We are a nation of sympathisers for fatties... Why make your insecurities our problem?"

Yes, why make people's insecurities their problem? Why give Protein World any business, which depends on peoples' insecurities to exist? People should sharpie that quote in big, bold writing across every one of this company's ads, and credit Protein World's tweet. Let's see how they like their sales when they're widely associated with that PR gem.

lemonsnowdrop

I'm absolutely floored by the amount of people who don't consider this kind of marketing sexist.

Hendrix7

lemonsnowdrop wrote: »

I'm absolutely floored by the amount of people who don't consider this kind of marketing sexist.

do you consider this sexist?

darrensurrey

I notice the twitter support is flooding in now: https://twitter.com/ProteinWorld

Hendrix7 wrote: »

lemonsnowdrop wrote: »

I'm absolutely floored by the amount of people who don't consider this kind of marketing sexist.

do you consider this sexist?

I find this photo of this lean, muscular man very upsetting, I shall drown my sorrows in a kilo of cheesecake.

Sued0nim

lemonsnowdrop wrote: »

I'm absolutely floored by the amount of people who don't consider this kind of marketing sexist.

Really?

I'm not

Because it's not sexist if we do exactly the same to men

actually is it also ageist because she's young, how about racist because she's white?