Protein World - "How could we possibly be sexist?"
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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?
Don't forget classist - you need expendable income to buy supplements.0 -
my fat *kitten* was in a bikini last year. my fat *kitten* will be in a bikini this year.
If i cared what people thought about me, I'd have an entirely different personality. LOL0 -
Everyone here has seen magazine covers over the last 20 years right? There's nothing different about that cover than there is about every other cover of every other body building/shape/fitness, etc magazine out there.
They chose to target women, but men could have easily been targeted. They have muscly men on their magazines too. My boyfriend doesn't look at a body building mag and say "that's horrible that they display someone one here that isn't "real". Because the dude on the cover is real, he just works harder. I for one wouldn't have even thought of being offended by the ad because I could care less what people think of my body. I'm 36, 5'11 and weight 149lbs. I'm in the best shape of my life and lighter than I was in my 20's, but still things aren't perfect and they never will be because I don't care to be perfect. I care to be me and I love the me than I am. Give up the fight. Yes, the CEO fought back, but it was because he was being pushed into a corner by a woman who didn't love herself and seriously, it's not the job of magazines to make us to that.0 -
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?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?
I find both a bit sexist. But I'm a bit anti-everything! Nobody's body should be displayed or exploited in the name of advertising and nor should anybody be body shamed into buying a product or not wearing certain clothes!
I also think the CEOs response of "Grow some balls" is very sexist and childish. Just like I hate the term man up.
At the end of the day deliberately aiming it's marketing at a certain sex is sexist even if they don't see it that way. It's a bit offensive to anybody who doesn't have an industry standard perfect body, but it's marketing, and now it's massive publicity for a company I (and I'm sure many others) had never even heard of before this!0 -
PC bandwagon if you ask me
sex sells - it always has - and it probably always will
but this is not using sex to sell ... it's not like 60s advertising and draping a bikini model over a car with a male target audience and saying buy this cos look at the hot chick, you could have her if you had this car - that's sexist because it portrays the woman as a commodity
instead it's appealing to women's desire to want to look like societal pressures (media / entertainment) promotes 'attractiveness', which women buy into in droves ... want to be healthy, want to look amazing (men buy into it too) .. the target audience is women .. 'the perfect bikini body' is not a line aimed at men .. it's clearly aimed at women - and that's not sexist
it's manipulative, it's body conscious, it's doing what is done to sell a product by reinforcing a need0 -
Okay, from a slightly different angle - is the ad implying that fat women shouldn't go to the beach, or that fat women shouldn't go to the beach in a bikini?0
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Did the models get held at gunpoint to make those photos?ruthie3110 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?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?
Nobody's body should be displayed or exploited in the name of advertising
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See, this is the kind of stuff I was expecting in the "Are women so fragile" thread: hurt feelings and perceptions of victimization.
"Oh, no, they're objectivizing us and fostering the belief that only one kind -- hang on while I Like this Sexy Fireman calendar on Facebook -- where was I? Oh yeah, fostering the belief that only one kind of female body is sexy."
Get a grip.
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ruthie3110 wrote: »I also think the CEOs response of "Grow some balls" is very sexist and childish.
This is the only thing I think the company has done wrong. Awful way of managing criticism.0 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »Okay, from a slightly different angle - is the ad implying that fat women shouldn't go to the beach, or that fat women shouldn't go to the beach in a bikini?
No, it's implying that women want to look like that at the beach. Maybe we do, but I think most of us know the difference between reality and fantasy.
There no doubt is some damage done especially to young women when advertising holds up perfection as what women are supposed to look like. But if you actually go to the beach, you'll see many women wearing bikinis that are far from slim, effectively giving the middle finger to those advertisers.
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So CEO of a protein company I've never heard of tells overweight women to "grow some balls" about a skinny chick in a bikini?
Am I caught up yet?0 -
So CEO of a protein company I've never heard of tells overweight women to "grow some balls" about a skinny chick in a bikini?
Am I caught up yet?
except for the amount of money he's spent on his advertising campaign he's received substantially greater return in terms of brand awareness and potential sales from the manipulated 'scandal'
I mean one could almost believe that the entire 'sexism backlash' has been planned?
Funny how nobody yet has mentioned how a protein supplement is doing nothing for weight loss in the absence of a calorie controlled diet0 -
All I hear is Renee Somerfield should feel bad about her body and cover it up.
Shame on you Renee, for shame on taking care of yourself and getting a nice modeling job.0 -
The sense of outrage seems out of proportion.
Massive earthquake just killed a bunch of people in one of the poorest countries in Asia.
Literally thousands of people are fleeing wartorn Syria and drowning on their way to Europe.
Perspective. It's a fine thing.0 -
Brilliant Marketing, kind of like Starbucks spelling peoples names on cups wrong. Certainly you can't spell BOB wrong or can you. When they do the person whips out the cell phone blast it out over social media and Starbucks reached thousands if not millions of people for free.
Are you beach body ready0 -
I didn't find it offensive - as people have said we are awash with magazines and adverts doing that to both men and women. It's so commonplace now I don't even really notice adverts like that.
I do agree with the principle - not specifically this ad, but the Guardian article that talked about how this happens every year, of body shaming and implying that only certain types of bodies are "beach worthy".
I don't think it's fair to single out this particular advert though - there are plenty of other advertisers and magazines doing the same. And plenty of people who shame you to your face if you go to the beach with a body that doesn't live up to those standards.0 -
DeguelloTex wrote: »See, this is the kind of stuff I was expecting in the "Are women so fragile" thread: hurt feelings and perceptions of victimization.
"Oh, no, they're objectivizing us and fostering the belief that only one kind -- hang on while I Like this Sexy Fireman calendar on Facebook -- where was I? Oh yeah, fostering the belief that only one kind of female body is sexy."
Get a grip.
Thank you...
I really, as a woman, am sick of it all myself.
How is it sexist? because it's just a woman? stick a sexy man in there then...
Regardless if this crap doesn't stop (crying about ads) all we are going to see is cute fuzzy animals or literally stick figures in our ads and sorry but I want to see good looking men in tight sexy under ware on a huge billboard as I drive down the road...makes my day just a bit brighter....*insert leering smile here*
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nicola8989 wrote: »I don't think it's fair to single out this particular advert though - there are plenty of other advertisers and magazines doing the same. And plenty of people who shame you to your face if you go to the beach with a body that doesn't live up to those standards.
I think the reason this one specifically got singled out is because the backlash started out as people writing things on the adverts, and photos of those things got uploaded and went viral. You wouldn't get that with a TV ad or online ad. Plus the fact that it's so common. I can't think of any other specific adverts that advertise beach bodies or whatever, but I can't go to work without seeing that one about 5 times.0 -
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stevencloser wrote: »Did the models get held at gunpoint to make those photos?
No, but just because sex sells doesn't mean I should have to agree with seeing half naked people on every street corner in the name of selling a product.
I have no problem with male or female nudity, in fact probably less so than most people. What I have a problem with is society's views that only fit men and women are sexy, and therefore we should put their pictures on everything to make other people feel bad. The models themselves are not being exploited, their good looks are.0 -
If it makes people feel bad, that's on those people. Taking personal responsibility for one's own issues can be a pretty good thing.ruthie3110 wrote: »stevencloser wrote: »Did the models get held at gunpoint to make those photos?
No, but just because sex sells doesn't mean I should have to agree with seeing half naked people on every street corner in the name of selling a product.
I have no problem with male or female nudity, in fact probably less so than most people. What I have a problem with is society's views that only fit men and women are sexy, and therefore we should put their pictures on everything to make other people feel bad. The models themselves are not being exploited, their good looks are.
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ruthie3110 wrote: »stevencloser wrote: »Did the models get held at gunpoint to make those photos?
No, but just because sex sells doesn't mean I should have to agree with seeing half naked people on every street corner in the name of selling a product.
I have no problem with male or female nudity, in fact probably less so than most people. What I have a problem with is society's views that only fit men and women are sexy, and therefore we should put their pictures on everything to make other people feel bad. The models themselves are not being exploited, their good looks are.
Again, it's not exploitation if the people involved knew what they were doing and doing it out of their own volition. No one forced them and no one pretended like their picture wouldn't be on advertisements.
And obviously the models don't seem to have any problem with being seen half naked on every street corner.0 -
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I don't see a problem with this ad. If I were advertising something I would want fit and great looking people in the ad because it is more effective. And while I don't think that you have to be a 10 on the fitness/thinness/hotness scale to be attractive, I do think that the majority of people would look at the woman in the ad and think that she is attractive and thus find the product more attractive. That's what advertising is about. It's majority aspirational, minority relatable. Even the advertising that Nike is doing now with the inner thoughts of women while exercising is set up that way--they are using fit and attractive actors, not average average actors for it, even though they are portraying the "average woman."0
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I'm pretty sensitive about anything sexist, but this just doesn't do it for me. It's no different than literally every other ad out there. Why this has blown up is beyond me. It's a "fitness" company - of course they are going to use fit models. And "bikini body" has been a buzz term in the fitness/dieting industry forever. The only thing wrong with the ad is that it's boring and unoriginal.
The CEO sounds like a piece of work, but that's a different issue entirely.0 -
TheVirgoddess wrote: »I'm pretty sensitive about anything sexist, but this just doesn't do it for me. It's no different than literally every other ad out there. Why this has blown up is beyond me. It's a "fitness" company - of course they are going to use fit models. And "bikini body" has been a buzz term in the fitness/dieting industry forever. The only thing wrong with the ad is that it's boring and unoriginal.
The CEO sounds like a piece of work, but that's a different issue entirely.
It's yet another offshoot of a tumblr "acceptance" campaign. The same ones who go around reporting any blog that mentions weight loss or exercise as thinspo, even when it's normal, everyday advice.0 -
I cant say I take issue whatsoever with the ad. I dont use supplements, unless you count my Gummi Vitamins. Even if I had a size 6 body I still wouldnt put a bikini on. I tend to be very modest and I am more comfortable covered. Not because im ashamed of how I look but because I just like to be covered. I think anyone that can slip into a bikini and be happy is great, its just not for me. I want to lose the weight for comfort and health reasons as well as looking nice in a pair of jeans and a well fitting t-shirt, LOL, my idea of dressing up. I dont think im ugly im also not insecure just because im overweight, and I wont wear anything different when I lose the weight than I do now.
I seriously think this ad has been taken way out of context, but thats just me. Imagine how the model must feel to have some people saying shes a bad example to others.0 -
I was out on Saturday with my daughter who is 21when I noticed this ad. What annoyed me about it was the fact that it is the end of April and this company is promising gullible women that all it will take is a couple of months and a tin of protein powder to be in great shape by the time they take their Summer holiday? AND they're using an airbrushed picture as an incentive. It is false advertising full stop, real people have attained stunning results with hard work and it didn't happen overnight. That's the message that needs to be put across here. Tell the truth and shame the devil or something like that anyway lol
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Im in sales, and my job is not to make people feel bad about themselves, its to make them feel good about our products and buy them. My job is to convince people that my product filled a need..whether a need they currently have, or had no idea they had until I brought it to their attention. Thats what sales and marketing is all about... nothing personal, just business.
Completely amazed though with how many women have never ever heard of the term beach body, or the phrase beach body ready before this ad though. Like, they really react and act as though this company made it up just now for the purpose of shaming women into feeling like they arent worthy of the beach, when in truth, this term has been around since forever...a common phrase this company is using as part of their marketing strategy because they felt (wrongly I suppose) that women have heard this before and would be able to relate to that desire of wanting to look their best.
Theres a million threads on here, and there will be more as summer gets closer, of people wanting to look as good as they can as the weather changes and the layers of clothes start to peel away...whether their goal is to lose weight or lift and define muscle or whatever. Theres nothing inherently wrong with a person wanting to feel good about how they look, and if they arent quite there yet, summer / the beach is a pretty common motivator.
Im guessing people who have never heard the phrase dont live near a beach and have never been to one before? I dont know..I live in FL. Being beach body ready is a year round thing around these parts.
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