Another reason to hate Fitness First

[quiregrrl]

A 'brainwave' from the Fitness First marketing team in the Netherlands - public shaming. As someone innocently sits to wait for a bus the billboard flashes the persons weight in red numerals for all to see.

From one of my favorite blogs

I suppose one could argue that the number displayed on its own, in the absence of any other information, statements, or implicit value judgement, is subject to any interpretation. But given the society we live in, given that the "advertisment" is for a gym company, it's hard to imagine any other intent than to shame a specific subset of the population for whatever number is displayed while they are waiting for a bus. This absolutely disgusts me.

If FF Australia follow suit with this "advertising" campaign, I will be taking a pot of paint, a photographer and my big fat arse to the bus stop. All that empty sign space needs some words added.

Comments

[quiregrrl.livejournal.com]

I lived in Antwerp for a year and visited The Netherlands more times than I can remember, and I assure you there are plenty of fat dutch folk. Usually older, but definitely still there. And the weight-consciousness was certainly present in the Dutch (and Dutch-speaking Belgian) cultures when I was living over there 16 years ago. I imagine it's gotten worse, rather than better, since then. I know what you mean about the culture being a lot more matter-of-fact and blunt, but I'm not convinced that this kind of advertising wouldn't be seen as less offensive by the general public in The Netherlands than it would be here.

I actually think that the majority of people who fall into an "acceptable" weight range would not find it offensive at all, and I think an attitude of "well don't sit there, or lose some weight if it bothers you" would probably be most prevalent in both countries. But I would wager a years salary that there are plenty of women in Holland who are self-conscious about their weight, for whom this kind of "advertising" would have the impact of making them feel more self-conscious, and feeding thier self-hate.

I absolutely agree re FF in Sydney though, the one on Oxford St frequently have staff out front handing out fliers, but they only target skinny fit folk as well...

[http://users.livejournal.com/kitty_kitty_/]

Ah, see, I've only ever lived with Dutch people in Australia and spent a week there at the most (and only in Amsterdam). My perception is probably skewed.

WTF is up with Fitness First only targeting a certain type of person? Everyone needs exercise! It's not supposed to be a 'cool club'! Having a marketing attitude like that only furthers the insecurities people have with their body, skinny or fat, in that 'nobody will like you if you don't look like us'. RARGH!

[quiregrrl.livejournal.com]

"And we're not going to help you look like us because you have to prove that you're worthy of belonging to our club first, ya lazy lump!" ... yeah, i don't get it either... at the very least it seems like bad business practice to alienate the section of the community that is traditionally most ambivalent about attending a gym... maybe that has something to do with it though, perhaps it just seems too much like work to actually encourage non-gym-junkies to try your gym out, rather than go for the easy targets of people who are already interested??

[http://users.livejournal.com/kitty_kitty_/]

I suppose that's exactly it - why bother with what they consider to be a hard sell (a fatty) when they could go for an easy sell (someone who is thin and without a hair out of place, even after an hour at the gym)?