Well if not let us give you a quick update… The advert, promoting protein powder, features a scantily clad woman in a yellow bikini with the slogan ‘Are You Beach Body Ready?’…
The recent outcry of ‘size shaming’ has had a real affect on the opinions of the general public and they weren’t afraid to vocalise their disgust at the advert, seemingly conveying the message that uber skinny is healthy. There have been over 65,000 petition signatures in a bid to get the ad removed from the Underground. The Advertising Standards Agency has also received over 250 objections with the majority of complaints viewing the advert as sexist, unrealistic or irresponsibly portraying an unhealthy image of how we’re ‘supposed’ to look.
But, and here’s the million dollar question, is all publicity good publicity?
Protein World head of marketing, Richard Staveley, certainly thinks so, “We want to encourage discussion on this…We want to encourage everybody to be the very best version of themselves. It’s been quite odd how many people we’ve found who are far quicker to fit shame then fat shame. And, you know, if that makes us bad, then so be it”.
Should the company perhaps have considered more online advertising instead? Where the targeting of adverts can be tailored to target audiences based on people’s recent searches, preference, interests and taste?
Well, again, the company has reported a considerable spike in sales on the back of the outdoor. Richard says, “There’s more than two and a half million people who use London Underground every day and sales have considerably jumped… it’s been better for us, there’s been far more positive reaction than negative.”
Things to think about…
All things considered, this advert has caused tremendous controversy, but it has boosted sales and spread awareness of the brand…
Is there anything we can learn from this campaign controversy?
There are certainly a few things to think about.
- What’s more important, sales or brand reputation?
- Should outdoor adverts always appeal to the entire nation?
- Would this campaign budget be better spent and launched on another platform?
It seems the general public are doing exactly what Protein World wanted them to do, and that is, react and talk about them.
If you have a requirement for out of home advertising, give us a shout and we can take you through it step by step.
UPDATE:
You know you're winning when Carlsberg react to your campaign…
