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.

Oh for fucks sake.

The whole 'skinny shaming' thing honestly a lot of the time reminds me of the MRA movement, or people who like to talk about 'reverse racism'.

Having one body shape held up throughout the media and culture as the ultimate ideal and people who aren't that shape being made to feel there is something wrong with them is categorically not the same thing as making a remark in the specific about one person being thin or whatever.

I'm all for being lovely and accepting about eachothers bodies, whatever shape they come in. I also am totally sucked into ideas about how it'd be nice to be slim, and do make some effort in that direction.

But I recognise that as having been sucked in. I'm not waffling on about 'health' or 'if you're not interested just don't buy it'.

I also think some people appear to think this thread is calling for a ban on... something, or a violent protest? The burning of protein effigies in the streets? I thought it was a bit of 'oh look, a particularly shit thing, look at the funny things people have done about it, well done them'.

The fact that we're now arguing about details of the model's body and how 'shamed' she might feel is just... ugh. Sometimes I feel like we're all really stuffed.

Really Helena, how am I contradicting myself

I have not once mentioned health, why do you keep banging on about that? I said fitness. Fitness including obtaining a toned body/increasing muscle mass.

To do so you also need to strip fat :)

Now if I'm sounding so 'ridiculous' just don't bother debating with me.

Im a lot fitter since i lost that weight Greys But im not toned. I have some loose skin. Which doctors have told me i can only get rid of by surgical removal. I can walk and run a lot faster without getting out of breath and sounding wheezy like i used to I gave up smoking a decade ago too. It is possible to be fit without being toned.

Is there one body shape held up in the media though.

Women like Kate Moss, Kelly Brook, Kate Upton, Kim Khardasian, Rhianna, Nigella Lawman, Helen Mirren etc etc. Women of different shapes and sizes held up as having great bodies.

I think the idea that "one body type" only is portrayed as being the only desirable one isn't accurate.

Actually I think the media encourages quite a lot of criticism about those women's bodies and other aspects of their appearance

I'd say that list of women pretty well defines the idea that you can either be thin or you can be Jessica Rabbit, or you can be both.

Or you can "look good for her age", shaska, don't forget that one.

I can't honestly understand why anyone would be in a 'rage' about the ads.

I'm a 36yo mum of 3, I won't ever have a figure like that, but I certainly don't mind looking at an ad of a woman with an amazing figure.

Furthermore, I had an eating disorder as a teenager (anorexia whilst doing my a-levels & degree). It wasnt down to pictures of skinny girls in the media driving my anorexia, it was mental health and control issues - I couldn't control my life / exams, so I controlled my eating instead.

The wording of the petition (which I clicked on the link but won't sign) made me chuckle too - its all about "how dare people be made to feel physically inferior to the unrealistic body image". That's surely your own issue to address - the ASA can't ban all adverts that might make someone feel 'inferior' in comparison to an advert?!! Madness!

I think the main issue I have with this advert is that it is bloody everywhere. I don't like magazines that tells you how to lose a stone in 5 minutes so I don't buy them, but on the tubes and buses this weekend the adverts were impossible to avoid. Walking through Kings Cross there were multiple full sized posters and then one in each section of the tube - it felt incessant.

When you buy up that much advertising space with something so bloody bright then people have to notice it - and if they dislike it for whatever reason then you've essentially fanned the flames of the fire against you. I think this is why it reached critical mass so quickly - because it was purposefully in your face and people wanted to get rid of it.

Sorry, haven't read whole thread and know there are some serious issues here.

But quick thought from the DotD MN tag-line ...

"Beach body ready?" ....
Have body. Have beach. Ready!

I wish we could all feel much freer about our bodies, for our young women and dd's too

Fair point oneflew - I live in the 'shires', hadn't seen the ad at all until they discussed it on tv this morning, so its definitely not in my face like it is others living in a city

Still, its just an advert....

I don't get petition especially the ad that's been changed to feature larger models. So it would be ok as an advert if the girl in it wasn't lean.

She isn't bronzed she is in black and white, if YOU feel inferior that's your issue. Can she not have a tan? In case someone without a tan feels bad?

I feel cif adverts make me feel inferior. The women always look glam at the end of a deep clean of their kitchen. I always get grimy when I deep clean mine. The image they are portraying is unattainable for the majority of women. I might complain.

My point exactly 'shewept' - the petition is daft. Its ok to show larger girls, because its more attainable to be a larger lady - we presumably just eat more and don't exercise, right?

But its not ok to be a fit, healthy woman .

I think they should ban all hair adverts too - I can only dream of having thick, glossy long hair. I feel inferior in comparison.

More people are fat than not so antyhing which makes them eat a lot less the better but I read the FT so I am not likely to see beach body adverts. Some silly women read women's magazines instead - so it's their own fault. Buy better media.

Here is a beach body
markosun.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/adaman1.jpg?w=1000

I don't think being a long distance runner means you are healthy necessarily - being fit to run endurance races is not the same as truly healthy.

The woman on the picture is fit healthy and toned-they wouldn't exactly use a huge fatty to promote their products but nor would they use a cat walk stick insect. Being beach ready isn't just about being slim, I guess it means fake tanning, getting everything shaved and moisturized and buying a flattering bikini-for some women this is important (me included) and for others it isn't.
Seeing this advert wouldn't make me want to buy protein world as I don't believe in weight loss products but it might motivate me to eat better and go to the gym.
Its not promoting an unhealthy image at all-the women in the picture looks a size 8-10 -nothing wrong with that

The problem for me is that it reinforces the idea you have to look a certain way to wear a bikini on the beach. By all means keep your weight down for health reasons (bearing in mind slightly overweight is not unhealthy) but none of us should be made to feel we should be 'Beach Ready' whatever our size.

"huge fatty"
"stick insect"

lovely ways to describe other women

"it reinforces the idea you have to look a certain way to wear a bikini on the beach"

What idea?
I think that's made up. Beaches have all sorts of bodies on them, so not many people seem to have got that memo.

Well, the advert has achieved its goal, we are all talking about it, and by complaining, giving the advertisers more publicity!!!

I like the Ray Winstone 'Beach body ready' picture on that vagenda link. Body the way it is, cossie, suncream and shades. Sorted.

My 16yo DD and I would add boardies and a rash vest because beaches are mainly for launching boards and boats.

That poster is such a ridiculously stereotyped, limited depiction of 'beach body'. It induces more sorrow than anger in me TBH ... beaches are places to go to have fun and relax not try to look some particular way.

There have actually been huge efforts made by certain groups and companies within the fitness industry to encourage women to see fitness as something other than a way to get skinny. The industry as a whole is turning away from 'women should eat little, do lots of cardio and use light weights'.

Women are actually encouraged to be strong and gain muscle. But it's really funny, after I took up weight lifting I get more put downs from women. I do not look the girl in the picture. But females are the ones who say 'weights? You will get all big and muscley' with a look of disdain. Or 'oh your arms are too big, it's not attractive'. Doesn't occur to them that I don't give a shit about whether they think defined arms are attractive or not. But they love to have their opinion, though.

It seems entirely acceptable to body shame women, like this model or even like me. But not acceptable at all if someone is over weight.

Have any of you commenting on this models body and 'silicone' breasts thought of how the model herself would feel reading your comments.

Hypocrites.

I am slightly overweight still but I don't have a problem with this advert, people need to accept that some people do strive for a body like this. Also some people strive to put on weight.

Before you all start commenting personally on the model herself take a moment to think how she would feel reason all of your remarks.

What about the advert about being beach ready in the bikini line area for razors? Are any of you who prefer to be hairy offended by that?

*reading all of your remarks

I'm not sure why we are so worried about eating disorders - obesity will kill a substantial proportion of us (around 10% currently, and rising), it's a far bigger threat than anorexia/bulimia.