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Body shaming backlash fails miserably, Protein World makes a million

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Cagey said:
...it's the same person.
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Well I don't even know what to think. They should have used that Twitter pic in the ad.

Edit: I'm looking at the Instagram and can't believe the pic they used in the ad. It's like "yo, let's make this beautiful woman look as gross as possible."
 
PANTHEON said:
YtuqHcn.jpg
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Lol amazing
 
Beefy said:
They like to look like Vince? Everyone judges each other it's a fact. Aslong as you don't go up to peoples faces and take the piss then I see it as being ok.
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Enhances your cuts, if you've earned them. I don't think there's anything wrong indulging in being a shitlord behind someone's back, if they'll never know and you don't actually hold them in contempt. But yeah, don't do it to their face. Lots of people here are pretty upset.
 
KmA said:
There's a huge difference between the male power fantasy (which is what most advertisers aim towards when marketing fitness to men) and the sexualization of women. Not that I agree on their analysis of Barbie, but women are marketed to in a way that instantly sexualizes them. Look how the woman is standing in the ad compared to the man. It's subtle but it reinforces the idea that get their body because it makes them beautiful while men do it because it makes them powerful.
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On is an image and ideal of dominance, a power fantasy. The other is an image of of subservience... maybe that's not the best word... it's an ideal of looking good to attract someone else. The image for women is based on their worth to other people, the image for men is of independent power.

Honestly unless a guy is morbidly obese, there isn't strong cultural push for men to be meat heads. However women are definitely shamed, called fat or ugly, etc for literally nothing. In fact no matter where you are on the scale, women's bodies are judged as part of casual conversation in a way that men's aren't. Imagine a girl telling another girl that her waist is so thin, a guy catcalling a girl, another women complementing her friend's tits (yeah, all these things are extremely common). I'm a guy and I have pretty great calves, no one's ever said shit about them.

That's not to say there's not body issues for men, but to say it's the same is willfully ignorant.
 
Bizazedo said:
Beach bod isn't necessarily saying a small busted athlete. They used a great visual for the ad. It's appropriate for what they're trying to do.

And I love how the real pic of her is even better looking imo, makes me laugh.
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And looking at the reality of an average beach I would think that most people know the difference between the ideal of a commercial and the reality.
 
mdubs said:
Marking out big time to this, Protein Watch is nailing the heel turn.

277e0-vince-mcmahon-walk.gif
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Much like wrestling, the heels are always completely justified and doing nothing wrong - but the babyfaces in this whole kerfuffle are the ones trying to undermine and destroy people. Not surprised...I'm on #teamprotein
 
Sub-Zero at a Starbucks said:
You can be in shape and still have an "average" or normal figure. Athletic doesn't immediately correlate to toned and busty.

Easier solution: use one model that better represents the average woman rather than attempting to go with one of the more unattainable figures.
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Why? Why should your spokesperson not be one of the prime examples?

I have a lot of close female friends that are fit and healthy. Some are shorter and pale skinned and have a ton of muscle. Other's are taller and more thin. Others look close to the girl here on the ad. Some are darker skinned. Some of thigh gaps, some don't. Which one is "average"? None of them. Because humanity is diverse. But this girl isn't atypical within fitness circles by any means.
 
I think what this shows is that righteous crusades using partisan language isn't a good way of getting your point across.
 
TheOctodad said:
Why? Why should your spokesperson not be one of the prime examples?

I have a lot of close female friends that are fit and healthy. Some are shorter and pale skinned and have a ton of muscle. Other's are taller and more thin. Others look close to the girl here on the ad. Some are darker skinned. Some of thigh gaps, some don't. Which one is "average"? None of them. Because humanity is diverse. But this girl isn't atypical within fitness circles by any means.
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And frankly, who even wants to look at some average-ass person? We can go to Walmart if we want to see average.
 
NimbusD said:
On is an image and ideal of dominance, a power fantasy. The other is an image of of subservience... maybe that's not the best word... it's an ideal of looking good to attract someone else. The image for women is based on their worth to other people, the image for men is of independent power.

Honestly unless a guy is morbidly obese, there isn't strong cultural push for men to be meat heads. However women are definitely shamed, called fat or ugly, etc for literally nothing. In fact no matter where you are on the scale, women's bodies are judged as part of casual conversation in a way that men's aren't. Imagine a girl telling another girl that her waist is so thin, a guy catcalling a girl, another women complementing her friend's tits (yeah, all these things are extremely common). I'm a guy and I have pretty great calves, no one's ever said shit about them.

That's not to say there's not body issues for men, but to say it's the same is willfully ignorant.
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Maybe your calves aren't as great as you think. Also depends on the company you are with. I and many others have made compliments on calves.
 
TheOctodad said:
I have a lot of close female friends that are fit and healthy. Some are shorter and pale skinned and have a ton of muscle. Other's are taller and more thin. Others look close to the girl here on the ad. Some are darker skinned. Some of thigh gaps, some don't. Which one is "average"? None of them. Because humanity is diverse. But this girl isn't atypical within fitness circles by any means.
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Use someone ugly and out of shape so nobody gets triggered.
 
Controversy aside I'm always interested in ways people beat the internet justice machine. It often seems insurmountable but it looks like there have been a few people to ride the wave just right. I think understanding use of such techniques is very useful to help counter-balance the angry mobs that seem to be cropping up more and more and for trivial battles.
 
I think I'm pretty comfortably in the "Ad was inoffensive and not a big deal" camp, along with the "These guys are obviously huge douchebags on Twitter" camp.
 
Sub-Zero at a Starbucks said:
You can be in shape and still have an "average" or normal figure. Athletic doesn't immediately correlate to toned and busty.



Easier solution: use one model that better represents the average woman rather than attempting to go with one of the more unattainable figures.
Click to expand...

Protein World: Strive to be average!

I don't see that working out well.
 
norm9 said:
Use someone ugly and out of shape so nobody gets triggered.
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I know you're joking, but I'd seriously put forward the idea that if they had done that, they'd have gotten even more hate.

Imagine putting an obese person on the ad and everything else being the same. Now that would be body shaming.
 
FallingEdge said:
Maybe your calves aren't as great as you think. Also depends on the company you are with. I and many others have made compliments on calves.
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yeah, I've been complimented on my too, as well as the usual six pack guns etc. It is though, though that as long as your not actually overweight less, will be mentioned about your fitness.
 
Good on the company. People are way too sensitive and honestly, certain aspects of our society need to be shamed in order for improvements to be made.
 
Exterminieren said:
Don't see anything wrong with their Twitter.

Oh. Wait. Yes I fucking do.
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They are responsible for person's health issues over the internet now? I guess that was some vain smack talk but to take it seriously you really need their to be a loser and winner in this "debate".

KmA said:
Sorry I meant the ad you posted. If they were actually meant to convey the same message, the camera angle, the pose, all of it would be entirely similar. But the male model is in a power stance with the camera facing upward.

And the argument that I'm looking too deeply isn't really fair. Advertisers mull over these images for hours, they sample test them to audiences, they photoshop them endlessly etc. If anything, I'm looking at it too simply. Advertisers and marketers think of every conceivable avenue for which their ad can be seen in, and me pointing out the thought process behind it is not "looking for something that just isn't there."
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Is that power stance? Does the female look lesser because of she has less muscle mass than male? I dunno they look like they are on the same level.
 
Goya said:
Yeah, though not remotely in this field. It really should be a basic instinct. If I don't know much about something, the next step is to look up widely cited studies, not start conjecturing willy-nilly...
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Not many people are comfortable with citing studies, though. Even many college grads.
 
TheOctodad said:
Why? Why should your spokesperson not be one of the prime examples?

I have a lot of close female friends that are fit and healthy. Some are shorter and pale skinned and have a ton of muscle. Other's are taller and more thin. Others look close to the girl here on the ad. Some are darker skinned. Some of thigh gaps, some don't. Which one is "average"? None of them. Because humanity is diverse. But this girl isn't atypical within fitness circles by any means.
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This is where you're missing the point. An average is not a single individual; an average is a mean established by means of verifying said diversity. Of course you won't be able to perfectly encapsulate the ideal feminine figure with just one person, but the point I'm trying to make here is that they went out of their way to find a single woman in shape whose successes are a fairly uncommon minority compared to a larger majority of women with body types, body fat, etc. within the range generally considered to be healthy for their respective heights (which is what I mean when I say "average form") whereas this woman is either slightly dipping unto "unhealthily skinny per proportional height" territory or on the lower end of the healthy spectrum. This, in and of itself, isn't wrong; the problem isn't only with the ad, but with the actual mentality behind it, as evidenced by the Twitter postings - they're making that woman's figure out to be right, and in turn establishing other figures to be wrong. Simply advertising a woman whose successes with physical fitness and health are evident isn't inherently a bad thing to do, it's when you start suggesting it's an "us or them," "right or wrong" binary sort of dichotomy that it becomes a screwed up thing to do.
 
Bizazedo said:
I know you're joking, but I'd seriously put forward the idea that if they had done that, they'd have gotten even more hate.

Imagine putting an obese person on the ad and everything else being the same. Now that would be body shaming.
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maybe, but they'd probably get some support from 'I'm a real person' contingent.


Sub-Zero at a Starbucks said:
This is where you're missing the point. An average is not a single individual; an average is a mean established by means of verifying said diversity. Of course you won't be able to perfectly encapsulate the ideal feminine figure with just one person, but the point I'm trying to make here is that they went out of their way to find a single woman in shape whose successes are a fairly uncommon minority compared to a larger majority of women with body types, body fat, etc. within the range generally considered to be healthy for their respective heights (which is what I mean when I say "average form") whereas this woman is either slightly dipping unto "unhealthily skinny per proportional height" territory or on the lower end of the healthy spectrum. This, in and of itself, isn't wrong; the problem isn't only with the ad, but with the actual mentality behind it, as evidenced by the Twitter postings - they're making that woman's figure out to be right, and in turn establishing other figures to be wrong. Simply advertising a woman whose successes with physical fitness and health are evident isn't inherently a bad thing to do, it's when you start suggesting it's an "us or them," "right or wrong" binary sort of dichotomy that it becomes a screwed up thing to do.
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way to body shame her by saying she's too skinny for her height and at the lower end of the healthy spectrum. lol you see the irony here right.
 
The next Protein World Ad

What I'd like to have right now is for all you high-rollin' Atlantic City sweathogs, keep the noise down while I take my robe off and give the ladies a good look at the sexiest man alive.
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Sub-Zero at a Starbucks said:
This is where you're missing the point. An average is not a single individual; an average is a mean established by means of verifying said diversity. Of course you won't be able to perfectly encapsulate the ideal feminine figure with just one person, but the point I'm trying to make here is that they went out of their way to find a single woman in shape whose successes are a fairly uncommon minority compared to a larger majority of women with body types, body fat, etc. within the range generally considered to be healthy for their respective heights (which is what I mean when I say "average form") whereas this woman is either slightly dipping unto "unhealthily skinny per proportional height" territory or on the lower end of the healthy spectrum. This, in and of itself, isn't wrong; the problem isn't only with the ad, but with the actual mentality behind it, as evidenced by the Twitter postings - they're making that woman's figure out to be right, and in turn establishing other figures to be wrong. Simply advertising a woman whose successes with physical fitness and health are evident isn't inherently a bad thing to do, it's when you start suggesting it's an "us or them," "right or wrong" binary sort of dichotomy that it becomes a screwed up thing to do.
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No they found a women who is in shape, to encourage others to get into shape. It takes some major twists in thought, to believe that she's somehow perfect, just a possible goal. She's not representing anyone, she's an ideal and unlike anorexic models etc, it's not an unhealthy ideal.
 
FallingEdge said:
Maybe your calves aren't as great as you think. Also depends on the company you are with. I and many others have made compliments on calves.
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Oh shit, you've given a compliment on calves? I suppose my whole argument is flawed and judgement of women's bodies on a different level than that of men's doesn't exist. Well done.

Subpar Spatula said:
This picture gets body acceptance horribly wrong. This picture actively promotes anorexia and obesity as being just fine. They're not. It's not something we should be proud to accept.

Body acceptance is about not judging someone for having different body types. It does not mean we have to accept obesity and anorexia. We can still be critical of the extremes while also being thoughtful in how we approach those topics. If you're idea is to say something like "eat less, bitch" there's a really good chance you're just being cruel, but if you approach the topic (if the person wants you to) with respect then you're in the clear.
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I feel like you gotta be trolling. First off you're judging obesity and anorexia off a damn cartoon. Not even mentioning that being super skinny doesn't mean you're anorexic, which is a disease not a weight.

Other than that I dont even know your point. That we should hate people who are obese or skinny? What exactly do you mean that we don't have to 'accept' them?
 
Afrodium said:
For everyone saying that the girl in the ad is a perfectly normal "fit" girl, here's an image of a non-photoshopped girl next to the one in the ad:

[aIMG]http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/55408e36dd0895375f8b4573-538/beach-body-ready.jpeg[/IMG]
[aIMG]http://i.imgur.com/U7VzSot.jpg[/IMG]

At first glance they may appear pretty similar, and they are, until you notice how the girl in the ad's sides are drastically smaller, her thighs about a foot apart, and that her arms are twigs. Does the woman in the ad have a similar shape to real women? Sure, but the problem is that it's changed just enough that it simultaneously shows a completely unrealistic figure while tricking viewers into thinking that real women look like that.

I'd also like to reiterate that I don't agree at all with the Twitter outrage but do think the ad has other problems.
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Not trying to dogpile you, but you just compared an instagram model to one of the hottest women on the planet and called the former unrealistic. Here's an un-photoshopped picture of the "realistic" girl:

http://cdn01.cdn.justjared.com/wp-c...wanepoel-victorias-secret-fashion-show-12.jpg

Just thought it was funny.
 
Sub-Zero at a Starbucks said:
This is where you're missing the point. An average is not a single individual; an average is a mean established by means of verifying said diversity. Of course you won't be able to perfectly encapsulate the ideal feminine figure with just one person, but the point I'm trying to make here is that they went out of their way to find a single woman in shape whose successes are a fairly uncommon minority compared to a larger majority of women with body types, body fat, etc. within the range generally considered to be healthy for their respective heights (which is what I mean when I say "average form") whereas this woman is either slightly dipping unto "unhealthily skinny per proportional height" territory or on the lower end of the healthy spectrum. This, in and of itself, isn't wrong; the problem isn't only with the ad, but with the actual mentality behind it, as evidenced by the Twitter postings - they're making that woman's figure out to be right, and in turn establishing other figures to be wrong. Simply advertising a woman whose successes with physical fitness and health are evident isn't inherently a bad thing to do, it's when you start suggesting it's an "us or them," "right or wrong" binary sort of dichotomy that it becomes a screwed up thing to do.
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This ad is not for those people.

And that bold is fecking Bullshit
 
freenudemacusers said:
way to body shame her by saying she's too skinny for her height and at the lower end of the healthy spectrum. lol you see the irony here right.
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I'm just saying she's skinny, not too skinny. And, again, there's nothing inherently wrong with that - the thing that's not okay to do in this case is suggest that all women are supposed to try and reach that point and that it's the peak of achievement. The ad in and of itself isn't necessarily harmful, it's the intent behind it, as displayed on Twitter.

Principate said:
No they found a women who is in shape, to encourage others to get into shape. She's not representing anyone, she's an ideal and unlike anorexic models etc, it's not an unhealthy ideal.
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The message at hand as evidenced by the company through twitter is "women in this good of shape is right, women not in this good of shape are wrong."

Two easy solutions to circumvent things.

1) Run a similar ad featuring the same woman advertising their product, but without turning to the "that's right, if you don't look like this, you don't look good at all" angle.
2) Have an ad feature women with more well-rounded builds (as in, more than one woman), and suggest that the average is a good start, and their supplements can help with self-improvement to push you into above-average territory.

There you go. No indiscriminate shitting on women that don't fall into the mold of petite and perky, no substantial backlash (at least compared to other advertising avenues).

MilkyJoe said:
This ad is not for those people.

And that bold is fecking Bullshit
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You're telling me an ad describing a solution for women to get in shape isn't directed towards women trying to get in shape?
 
Good on Protein World for standing up for themselves against those clowns on Twitter complaining about this.

Boo-hoo if you are ashamed of your big fat arse.
 
Sub-Zero at a Starbucks said:
This is where you're missing the point. An average is not a single individual; an average is a mean established by means of verifying said diversity. Of course you won't be able to perfectly encapsulate the ideal feminine figure with just one person, but the point I'm trying to make here is that they went out of their way to find a single woman in shape whose successes are a fairly uncommon minority compared to a larger majority of women with body types, body fat, etc. within the range generally considered to be healthy for their respective heights (which is what I mean when I say "average form") whereas this woman is either slightly dipping unto "unhealthily skinny per proportional height" territory or on the lower end of the healthy spectrum. This, in and of itself, isn't wrong; the problem isn't only with the ad, but with the actual mentality behind it, as evidenced by the Twitter postings - they're making that woman's figure out to be right, and in turn establishing other figures to be wrong. Simply advertising a woman whose successes with physical fitness and health are evident isn't inherently a bad thing to do, it's when you start suggesting it's an "us or them," "right or wrong" binary sort of dichotomy that it becomes a screwed up thing to do.
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Get a grip
 
Kanik said:
I think going for runs or going to the gym for 1-2 hours everyday seems reasonable for the average person.
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Even if it is "reasonable" for the average person (I think you have a blinkered view of the lifestyle and priorities of the average person) going to the gym or going on runs simply isn't a priority for many people.

I have a problem with fitness being held up as the ideal for everyone instead of healthiness. Healthiness encompasses a lot more than physical fitness, and doesn't necessarily even need to include that.

Cagey said:
"Professional" runner being a silly term aside, I'm sorry you have such contempt for the potential of the average person in society.
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This is the kind of shit I'm talking about right here. As though everyone in society should strive to go on runs, lift weights, be active, be fit, and therefore (which is the assumption in all of this stuff) be happy.

I'm sick of some peoples' insistence that fitness=virtue.
FallingEdge said:
Maybe your calves aren't as great as you think. Also depends on the company you are with. I and many others have made compliments on calves.
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I now feel a swelling sense of dread that my calves are inadequate. I need to hit the gym to address this situation.
 
Goya said:
I'm not sure why people are claiming these kinds of ads can cause eating disorders. They can cause feelings of inadequacy, sure, but feeling inadequate is almost never the sole cause of any mental illness. This is a paragraph from a fairly old paper, but it is still very relevant to this thread:

Source:http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135103

The people who are already at high risk of developing eating disorders (due to genetic, biological, personality, etc. individual risk factors) would be pushed over the edge if not by this ad, then by other sources of body dissatisfaction that are either unavoidable (e.g. they come across real skinny people in real life!) or that they might actually willingly seek out (e.g. pictures of models with incredible bodies on Instagram).

To say that this ad will contribute to incidence of anorexia or other eating disorders is pure hyperbole.
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Yo imma let you finish but first your one article doesn't trump most if not all of articles out there.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2533817/

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1176/appi.ap.30.3.257

http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1995-10029-001

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23232051

Pretty much every other study done shows that not only is that statement not hyperbole, but that it's more prevalent than you want to make it out to seem. Correlation doesn't equal causation, except in cases where, you know, it's actually proven that it does. As in this case.

This isn't the *only* factor in causing eating disorders, it's one of many. However that doesn't mean that it's role in causing them is small, as multiple studies have shown.
 
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