VS "Love Your Body" Commerical Rant

osualex

Wow, I am amazed at how many adults fail to understand marketing and basic economics! For VS, overweight women in their ads will not help them sell bras. People want to look at people they want to look like, not what they actually look like. I haven't fit VS since I was about 14 (at 120 lbs and a 34DD, mind you). BUT - as someone mentioned before in this thread - Victoria's Secret does not make big bras because they don't want big people wearing them. Most big-breasted women are also big in other areas (not all - there are many exceptions, including myself!) They want their bras to be worn by slimmer, smaller-breasted women, as that is the demographic they want to cater to. They don't cater to the masses because that is not in their business interest. Go to Wal-Mart if you want to find stuff that caters to everyone.

Brands do this all the time. They have images that they want to associate with them, and overweight women is not an image VS wants to associate with. If it bothers you, you should spend your money elsewhere.

FlaxMilk

1. A tall, thin person will almost always better show off clothing than another body type-- you're meant to notice the clothes, not the model. The model is nothing more than a hanger as far as the business is concerned.

This isn't an argument with the person that posted this and it's not a slam on VS, just a musing. Designers argue the above, but I think it's really just better marketing to say the above than to say, "We want you to think you'll look as good as the model or fantasize enough that you will." Because I notice the models who are very thin or in perfect shape much more than the clothing they are in, unless it's really spectacular and dazzling. I notice clothing much more on average women because I'm not distracted by stunning good looks. It's not about sexual attraction, but a beautiful woman who obviously works hard on her physique is distracting.

I don't have a problem with the marketing strategy--it's probably a valid one to sell things--just the argument that a fashion model is meant to be just a clothing hanger and that's why they use very thin women. If that were true, they wouldn't wear makeup or airbrush or glitz and glam them up. (Also, while the supermodels of the 90's were very thin, they weren't all "clothing hangers" and looked amazing.)

secretlobster

I don't have a problem with the marketing strategy--it's probably a valid one to sell things--just the argument that a fashion model is meant to be just a clothing hanger and that's why they use very thin women. If that were true, they wouldn't wear makeup or airbrush or glitz and glam them up. (Also, while the supermodels of the 90's were very thin, they weren't all "clothing hangers" and looked amazing.)

Truth be told, I would buy anything if they advertised a panda wearing it

Erisad

you'll definitely not get it when you feel that way at goal weight and all these real women threads just rub crap in your face that you are supposed to have one of these multiple choice bodies and all you can remember is that you arent sure which one you are anyway cause your brain is so entirely out of whack with your body and it sucks more than you could conjure up in your imagination.

That sucks. Body dysmorphia is a terrifying feeling. Hopefully when the OP reaches her goal weight (and I truly hope this for her) she will find that her identity doesn't need to be affected by people who are trying to make a buck off of her. Lingerie corporations don't have the inherent right to dictate how you feel about yourself. I went through years of therapy to feel like I "deserved" to feel thin. It wasn't VS's fault, but damn is it hard to believe in yourself nowadays.

Hell yes it is. And this is why I drink. :drinker:

(Just kidding, I drink for the flavor. Duh.)

Just noticed that I spelled commercial wrong in the title. FUUUUUUUUUU-:explode: :laugh:

KarmaxKitty

I don't have a problem with the marketing strategy--it's probably a valid one to sell things--just the argument that a fashion model is meant to be just a clothing hanger and that's why they use very thin women. If that were true, they wouldn't wear makeup or airbrush or glitz and glam them up. (Also, while the supermodels of the 90's were very thin, they weren't all "clothing hangers" and looked amazing.)

Truth be told, I would buy anything if they advertised a panda wearing it

^^^ truth. pandas can sell me ANYTHING.

rlmadrid

you'll definitely not get it when you feel that way at goal weight and all these real women threads just rub crap in your face that you are supposed to have one of these multiple choice bodies and all you can remember is that you arent sure which one you are anyway cause your brain is so entirely out of whack with your body and it sucks more than you could conjure up in your imagination.

That sucks. Body dysmorphia is a terrifying feeling. Hopefully when the OP reaches her goal weight (and I truly hope this for her) she will find that her identity doesn't need to be affected by people who are trying to make a buck off of her. Lingerie corporations don't have the inherent right to dictate how you feel about yourself. I went through years of therapy to feel like I "deserved" to feel thin. It wasn't VS's fault, but damn is it hard to believe in yourself nowadays.

Kudos on getting help. You've come further than a lot of people know how to on BDD feelings. That's very inspiring for me.

Lyerin

Personally, I'm not offended by their marketing or that they only carry smaller sizes. I *am* however annoyed that they market underwear with things like "my boyfriend's property" on the butt to teenage girls (via their "Pink" line). That sends a crappy message, and it's tacky.

Erisad

Personally, I'm not offended by their marketing or that they only carry smaller sizes. I *am* however annoyed that they market underwear with things like "my boyfriend's property" on the butt to teenage girls (via their "Pink" line). That sends a crappy message, and it's tacky.

That's not cool. :noway:

rainbowbow

I don't feel sorry for you at all. I wear a 34 AA.

Victoria's Secret, hell, even PINK does not carry my size.

so

BOOOOO HOOOO

ninakir88

Wow, I am amazed at how many adults fail to understand marketing and basic economics! For VS, overweight women in their ads will not help them sell bras. People want to look at people they want to look like, not what they actually look like. I haven't fit VS since I was about 14 (at 120 lbs and a 34DD, mind you). BUT - as someone mentioned before in this thread - Victoria's Secret does not make big bras because they don't want big people wearing them. Most big-breasted women are also big in other areas (not all - there are many exceptions, including myself!) They want their bras to be worn by slimmer, smaller-breasted women, as that is the demographic they want to cater to. They don't cater to the masses because that is not in their business interest. Go to Wal-Mart if you want to find stuff that caters to everyone.

Brands do this all the time. They have images that they want to associate with them, and overweight women is not an image VS wants to associate with. If it bothers you, you should spend your money elsewhere.

I work in marketing, and that is a GREAT point.

BAMFMeredith

Wow, I am amazed at how many adults fail to understand marketing and basic economics! For VS, overweight women in their ads will not help them sell bras. People want to look at people they want to look like, not what they actually look like. I haven't fit VS since I was about 14 (at 120 lbs and a 34DD, mind you). BUT - as someone mentioned before in this thread - Victoria's Secret does not make big bras because they don't want big people wearing them. Most big-breasted women are also big in other areas (not all - there are many exceptions, including myself!) They want their bras to be worn by slimmer, smaller-breasted women, as that is the demographic they want to cater to. They don't cater to the masses because that is not in their business interest. Go to Wal-Mart if you want to find stuff that caters to everyone.

Brands do this all the time. They have images that they want to associate with them, and overweight women is not an image VS wants to associate with. If it bothers you, you should spend your money elsewhere.

I work in marketing, and that is a GREAT point.

While I totally agree with you about the marketing point, I'd also like to add that VS DOES carry larger sizes online. I've been able to wear VS at my smallest and my biggest. Smallest being about 115 lbs and a 34C and biggest (non pregnant) being 170 lbs and a 36DD. Hell I even wore VS bras and panties at 9 months pregnant and 195 lbs. You can order many DDD bras online, and their panties, at least in my experience, run big (at my heaviest--and I'm only 5'3"--a size large panty fit just fine and was actually a little big depending on the style--they carry XL online). Their clothes run large as well, and they have excellent online customer service and returns/exchanges support. I do an obscene amount of online shopping.

FlaxMilk

Edit since things have calmed down!

IronmanPanda

I don't have a problem with the marketing strategy--it's probably a valid one to sell things--just the argument that a fashion model is meant to be just a clothing hanger and that's why they use very thin women. If that were true, they wouldn't wear makeup or airbrush or glitz and glam them up. (Also, while the supermodels of the 90's were very thin, they weren't all "clothing hangers" and looked amazing.)

Truth be told, I would buy anything if they advertised a panda wearing it

<--- would you buy this?

sjohnny

I like the Victoria's Secret commercial where they have the angel wings. That one is awesome. I could watch it over and over again.

littlehedgy

I hate VS. Well to be fair I hate all bra shops. It seems like if you are over a C cup too bad so sad. Or if you are magically over a C cup your arent allowed to have a little rig cage. I am a 32DDD/E which I am lead to believe by observation of bra sellers, does not actually exist in nature but on my freak body. The only place I can find my size is Nordstrom but I don't fit into the financial demographic the Nordstrom falls into haha.

rlmadrid

I don't have a problem with the marketing strategy--it's probably a valid one to sell things--just the argument that a fashion model is meant to be just a clothing hanger and that's why they use very thin women. If that were true, they wouldn't wear makeup or airbrush or glitz and glam them up. (Also, while the supermodels of the 90's were very thin, they weren't all "clothing hangers" and looked amazing.)

Truth be told, I would buy anything if they advertised a panda wearing it

<--- would you buy this?

Not buying makes me a sad panda:

Erisad

I'm only about halfway through ... but seriously, if you think OP is miserable, why contribute to her misery by picking on her?
Also, OP was irritated by a commercial aired telling women to love their bodies but pointed out that they are catering to a more exclusive set of women. She didn't bash on the women in the ad. (Seriously, if VS is not for the average woman, get off my tv screen at all hours of the day and stick to "your" market already.) I don't care about VS and I don't care about their ads. I don't know OP, but the amount of criticism she is getting for this is ridiculous.

No idea. It seems to have calmed down now so I'm okay with that.

I'm not even sure why VS has to advertise, everyone knows it exists. Save the money from ads and maybe you can get larger sizes. :P

reyopo

I won't buy/wear VS because it's tacky, poorly-made, ill-fitting, over-priced crap...so I don't have to feel inferior to supermodels...I win!

FlaxMilk

Oh cool I edited then. Pandas calm anything down.

Erisad

Oh cool I edited then. Pandas calm anything down.

Ryan Gosling + Pandas = success!