Protein World "beach body" adverts

[RunkyJam]

Anyone else raging about these?

I've complained to the ASA and just signed a petition taking off over at change.org

www.change.org/p/proteinworld-arjun-seth-remove-are-you-beach-body-ready-advertisements

Absolutely BONKERS this was approved IMO.

"I genuinely believe that if the model was larger people would talking about how wonderful and brave she was."

Pretty sure that the issue is with the fact that it's advertising slimming powder in association with that making you 'beach ready', not that anyone's upset a photo of some random fit woman.

I don't think anyone is saying 'don't show women's bodies'. What people are saying is the endless 'thin bodies are the best ones' message is fucking annoying, and this is particularly annoying example.

I would not be any happier if she was 22 stone.

It's the objectification that pisses me off

She isn't thin, she is fit and strong. What she is is lean, as in she has low body fat.

It's a supplement aimed at weight loss. What would you prefer the model to look like? because I have seen loads of celebs prancing around on weight loss plan adverts and they don't cause the same amount of outrage.

Women have dieted for their holidays to be 'beach ready' for years. Their words, not a supplement companies. From before the years of size zeros. This girl is actually a better role model than the likes of kate moss, she is actually fit and healthy.

And yes people have body shamed her all over social media and on here. I personally know lots of girls that look like this and they are far better role models than size zeros.

A woman in a bikini is objectification? Do you tell all the women at the pool or beach that too. Best not let dh take any photos of me at the beach, don't want him to be objectifying me.

Oh wow, I clicked on the last page of this thread expecting to see a well-advanced debate about direct action, or something. Not posts trying to deny the very basics: the objectification of women's bodies in advertising to shill products, and the policing of women's bodies according to arbitrary beauty standards (which are 2 sins this advert commits).

Is it because MNHQ has posted a link to this thread on Twitter?

Oh well. I'll comment on the direct action: it's interesting how quickly a tipping point was reached, from a little bit of on-line grumbling last week, to a whole counter-campaign defacing those posters today. How many times have we all walked past sexist advertising and briefly thought "I'm fucking sick of this shit," and then walked on? But it seems that once a tipping point is reached where people notice that others are taking action, it feels ok to take action oneself.

I guess my point is that this counter-campaign indicates that there is a lot of untapped potential for direct action out there. And that it just takes a few even anonymous change-makers to act, for a greater mass to then follow suit, doing something they believe in, but probably wouldn't have dared to do if they'd felt alone in doing it.

Goats there seems to be a lot of body shaming on here at the moment. There is a lot of gaslighting from some of the shamers too. Ive just come from a thread in Chat where i talked about my weight loss and was accused of having "issues" by someone who in their previous post was slagging off people for being overweight. And yet after posting that had the temerity to say that i had issues around not gaining weight again

Grays that body is not acheivable for many Ive lost a lot of weight but it has not changed my basic body shape Expecting women to change their body shape to fit whatever is popular at this moment in time is misogynistic in my view and what worries me even more is that these views are coming from people who work in the NHS.

"And no if this was an obese woman on here everyone would be like 'oh she's so brave' 'lovely to see a REAL woman'."

i don't think everyone would actually. i have seen plenty of objections on MN and in this section about the idea that if you are a slim woman you can't be a "REAL woman". and i don't think many here would think that "let's objectify women above a certain BMI too!" is a great step forward either

When people talk about 'healthy' bodies I think the point is missed that it is not only about size but also proportion. The model here, like most of the other 'desirable' images of female bodies we see in adverts, has a currently-fashionable narrow torso supporting proportionally large round breasts. I remember from the NMP3 campaign that this is a minority look that 95% of women cannot emulate. Diet and exercise will not shrink your ribcage or increase your breast size. It is unattainable for most women before you even get to the photoshopping bit. It's disingenuous to argue that people who object to this image are encouraging fat-acceptance: that's not the choice. The choice is having a 'normal' range of sizes and shapes accepted in our society, or not. I object to this advert on two main grounds: 1)Men are encouraged towards strength and fitness but women are encouraged towards hotness. As always. It's tedious. 2)The pressure on women to look good as the main concern when going to the beach, can actually spoil (and even prevent) women's experience of fresh air and exercise that they might otherwise enjoy, and would help to keep them fit and slim. Encouraging a healthy life style is fine, but using the usual body-shaming tactics to do it is not.

helena obviously there's going to be different body shapes, but most people - health allowing - can achieve a toned and fit body with a lot, a lot of hard work. It's not unachievable. No-one is asking you to grow hip bones or gain a thigh gap, it's just a fitness thing.

"most people - health allowing - can achieve a toned and fit body with a lot, a lot of hard work."

What about people who don't have the time, money (linked to time) or health to put in this hard work?

Then add the people who don't really see the point of putting 'a lot, a lot of hard work' just to fit in with some bullshit standard?

There are a lot of us. And as one of them, I don't particularly love seeing 'beach ready = thin' presented as a standard for women.

I'm one of them, but it doesn't mean I'm against adverts like this. For some people that is their idea of a beach body. I would certainly love it to be mine! But I'm too lazy. I'll admit it.

So basically because some can't (or won't) achieve it no-one should and they shouldn't advertise it. Lovely.

Grays i have loose skin where i lost ten stone. Ive had two doctors tell me the only way that will change is surgical removal.

You are equating toned with health My size 6 friend is toned and is in hospital after having a heart attack Late thirties.

Mercury dieting doesnt decrease breast size either Ive lost loads off my back and fuck all off my breasts. Im an hourglass big breasts bum and hips. Everything else is small Including my shoulders which makes strappy tops unwearable. Fab post though Mercury

Well if you don't see the point or need then the advert isn't aimed at you.
What message over than slim equals good is a slimming tablet going to try and sell?
Plenty of people prefer to be thin and there are products on the market to facilitate that. You can buy them or not. Do people want them banned?
People can subscribe to any arbitrary ideas of beauty they want.
I prefer to be thin but don't think I need to be tall to be beautiful others might think differently. It seems lots of you are objecting to her body being too good, if it had been slightly less 'something' it would be ok

"don;t think it's the size of the model that's the issue. It's the idea that women have to change their bodies in order for it to be socially acceptable to appear on a beach."

Totally agree

Where have I said this is about health helena? I said it's about fitness. Health and fitness are different things.

As this was advertising protein then I'm quite sure it's for people who want to build muscle mass. Who want to achieve a toned body like the model.

The point is we have taken things a step further than 30,20 even ten years ago Instead of just pressuring women to lose weight now society pressures women to change their fundamental body shape It is an impossibility.

"People can subscribe to any arbitrary ideas of beauty they want."

Would that they were arbitrary...

Grays you are contradicting yourself and sounding absolutely ridiculous. TONED BODY is alluding to looks not health. And you are "quite sure" its for building muscle mass.

Yes that would be why it has "the weight loss solution in the corner of the big advert theyve got plastered around.

Grays as I said upthread, I am slim and fit. I put the effort in. I have a healthy body and wear size 8-10 clothes. I don't look like that, never have and never will. Because I don't have a tiny frame and I'm not the best part of 6' tall.

And as I also said upthread. I don't think she does look particularly fit. She's not got muscular arms and her abs aren't as defined as you'd expect to see in a fit woman with such low body fat. This isn't to critcise her - she's a lovely looking young woman. But her body type is large-breasted and extremely slender - it's not particularly toned, fit or healthy.

There are plenty of women in the UK bodies like the model in this campaign, I naturally have a similar physique. Body acceptance should include all shapes and sizes. Am fed up with the body shaming on Mumsnet atm.

Bexicles there's nothing wrong with being naturally slim, or with putting the hours in at the gym or running or playing sport or whatever - I do so myself, because I like being slim and fit. What people are objecting to is the way that ad sets up a body type that's unachievable for just about everyone (certainly none of the women I see in the gym or out running look like that) as the only shape that's "beach ready".

Would just like to point out that the woman used to advertise this product is a long distance runner, she doesn't do much in the gym except pilates with light weights. To be honest she is fit and healthy.....