UPDATE:
Victoria’s Secret has responded to criticisms of its controversial ad that depicts ‘The Perfect Body’ – by altering in the original ad.
After a strong backlash on social media from outraged shoppers and media outlets, along with various petitions calling for action by the brand, Victoria’s Secret has responded by altering their original advertisement so the slogan now says: ‘A body for every body’.
The new campaign images have replaced the original ads on their website, but the original posters are still up in stores around the world, according to Buzzfeed.
The lingerie brand are yet to apologise for the original campaign.
The altered advertisement from Victoria’s Secret.
Mamamia previously reported:
So subtle.
Images of women in advertising tell us every day what the “perfect body” looks like – and all too often, that means thin, tall, big-breasted, free of body hair, unblemished and white.
But usually, the messages are slightly more subtle than Victoria’s Secret’s newest campaign, which features images of a bunch of models who fit almost every one of those stereotypes — with the text “THE PERFECT BODY” printed across their lithe, near-naked bodies.
Their newest campaign has sparked outrage on social media — and a petition urging the lingerie brand to change the not-so-subtle advertisement has now gained more than 12,000 signatures online.
“All this does is perpetuate low self-esteem among women who are made to feel that their bodies are inadequate and unattractive because they do not fit into a narrow standard of beauty,” UK-based students Frances Black, Gabriella Kountourides and Laura Ferris, who started the Change.org petition, write.
“It contributes to a culture that encourages serious health problems such as negative body image and eating disorders,” they said.
“Victoria’s Secret is hugely popular among young women, and they have a crucial responsibility to not use harmful and unhealthy ideas to market their products. We would like Victoria’s Secret to take responsibility for their irresponsibility.”
The campaign has sparked a Twitter campaign by concerned consumers — with social media users posting more realistic, body-positive selfies using the hashtag #iamperfect.
“Dear @VictoriasSecret, please use your sway to improve, not shatter, people’s confidence in their bodies,” Dan Howarth tweeted.
“No such thing as a perfect body, @VictoriasSecret. Please, stop perpetuating this myth. Only harmful. #iamperfect,” Anne A. Wilson tweeted.
Some more from the Twitter #iamperfect campaign:
This excellent video is an excellent reminder of how much Photoshop manipulates women’s bodies in advertising:
See the Change.org petition urging Victoria’s Secret to remove the ad here.
Do you think it goes too far?
