Controversial ‘Beach Body’ billboard prompts advertising crackdown
A CONTROVERSIAL billboard in the UK removed due to widespread outrage, prompting the city’s Mayor to take action.
A CONTROVERSIAL billboard featured on London public transport sites has prompted a potential ban on any advertisements promoting “unhealthy or unrealistic” body images.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received 378 formal complaints last year alone about this controversial weight-loss ad.
In addition, More than 71,000 people signed an online petition to see it scrapped, prompting London mayor Sadiq Khan to pledge to take action.
Mr Khan said: “As the father of two teenage girls, I am extremely concerned about this kind of advertising which can demean people, particularly women, and make them ashamed of their bodies. It is high time to end.
“Nobody should feel pressurised, while they travel on the Tube or bus, into unrealistic expectations surrounding their bodies and I want to send a clear message to the advertising industry about this.”
The head of Transport for London agreed with the decision. He said we have to be especially sensitive about billboard content on public transport.
“Advertising on our network is unlike TV, online and print media,” he said.
“Our customers cannot simply switch off or turn a page if an advertisement offends or upsets them and we have a duty to ensure the copy we carry reflects that unique environment.
“We want to encourage great advertising that engages people and enhances the transport network.”
Members of the public have defaced the ad, accusing Protein World, the company responsible for it, of body-shaming and perpetuating shallow ideals for women.
I committed an act of civil disobedience last week and it felt glorious @VagendaMagazine @EverydaySexism pic.twitter.com/4jl8vbnulU
— Miranda Fay Thomas (@mirandafay) April 22, 2015
@VagendaMagazine @cait_gc I went one further: pic.twitter.com/oFGuhxuJy6
— Booky w/t Curly Hair (@NicoleBurstein) April 24, 2015
Look what @GidsG sent me! THE BACKLASH IS HAPPENING pic.twitter.com/F6tYZ3qcOk
— The Vagenda Team (@VagendaMagazine) April 22, 2015
The advertisement has been scrapped by the ASA, who said the ad was not offensive, but that its health and nutrition claims breached EU rules.
But the outrage may have actually had a counterproductive effect. According to Forbes, the mass street protests inspired by the ad were the best thing Protein World — a relatively unheard of company before the scandal — could have hoped for.
The company reportedly made almost $AU2 million in just four days after the hysteria broke out, with the backlash giving them an unintentional boost.
According to The Sun, the company’s 2014 accounts showed sales of about $10.4 million, with profits of nearly $5.4 million.
Arjun Seth, the owner of the company and son of a millionaire Guru, was responsible for the ad. He deemed his critics ‘feminist terrorists’ who were insecure about their own bodies.