A new Weight Watchers advertisement, which ran in Australia and New Zealand, has tried to appeal to women who feel self-conscious during sex. It has floundered, and been found to be incredibly offensive.
The new approach seeks to allow users to see themselves in a “new light.” The emphasis of the study lies in sex, and one’s inability to be comfortable around their partner. Despite the intention for positivism, the ad campaign has seen an international backlash.
The Ad
The start of the advertisement sees a woman saying the following:
“We never had sex completely naked because I couldn’t stand the thought of him seeing all of me.”
This thought is then continued by a plethora of other women, with the ending suggesting that all one needs to do is love themselves to feel more confident with their partner.
Unfortunately, things didn’t stop there.
PG Sex Toy
Even with the original ad campaign angering critics the world over, it was a secondary item that really kicked things off. Weight Watchers decided to send out light bulbs, branded as a “mood light.”
The light bulb – or “globe” as Weight Watchers called it – was thought to give users a confidence boost in the bedroom.
However, this went over like a lead balloon with one Australian journalist, as well as us here at Liberal America.
The Guardian
Bridie Jabour, an editor at The Guardian, in Australia, tweeted the following:
How many people thought this was an okay idea before it arrived on my desk as a piece of PR pic.twitter.com/7tH37yyqsS
— Bridie Jabour (@bkjabour) October 14, 2016
Though we cannot answer her question here, the internet has responded in a manner we feel appropriate.
The Response
did they just suggest you have low self esteem
— Helen Davidson (@heldavidson) October 14, 2016
let's be honest for a minute. Marketing your product by targeting self-esteem is pretty. damn. appalling.
— Dom Knight, Trump Organisation VP Encyclopaedias (@domknight) October 14, 2016
Certainly a 'sounded good at the time' marketing ploy. We always need more contradictory 'love your body' claptrap…
— Captain Bagel Cat (@SiobhanArgent) October 14, 2016
Why This Is An Issue
Some women may have an issue with the way their body looks in the nude. I mean, what woman doesn’t have something that bothers them?
However, it is not up to an international organization to point out what those issues should be. A representative from Weight Watchers Australia has since stated that the ad did not work, say that what they wanted was:
“to dispel the notion that people are alone in feeling this way and to shift the conversation from one of shame and negative self-talk to one of body positivity and empowerment.”
Watch the ad below.
Featured image from YouTube video.
