Does Victoria’s Secret have an obligation to send what some deem “the right message” to young girls? They are now under fire for a new ad campaign that features the slogan “The Perfect ‘Body.'”
The slogan, which refers to the retailer’s “Body” lingerie line, appears with images of Victoria’s Secret angels on the company’s website and in stores in the UK. The ads have prompted a widespread backlash online and inspired the hashtag #iamperfect on Twitter.
One comment .. Look who the message is coming from and give your heads a shake. They are a corporation trying to sell product any way they can. Don’t like the message, don’t buy it.
“There is a line between aspiration and thinspiration, and this campaign clearly oversteps the mark,” columnist Sarah Vine writes in The Daily Mail. “As for their use of the word ‘perfect’, it’s not only offensive to the 99.9% of the female population who don’t share the models’ ‘perfect’ proportions, it’s also deeply irresponsible, if not downright cruel.”
More than 15,000 people have signed a petition calling on Victoria’s Secret to apologize and terminate the campaign.
The #iamperfect campaign against @VictoriasSecret http://t.co/KJ1z2z9J3t via @brandsynario pic.twitter.com/1eSe79TBf3
— Rida Sadiq (@Ritzaheer) October 31, 2014
“Victoria’s Secret’s new advertisements play on women’s insecurities and send out a damaging message” the petition says.
Here are some of the reactions from Twitter.
Has advertising ever made you feel inadequate? Its time to take a stand! We are all perfect! http://t.co/mT8UK5Mqz4 #iamperfect
— Laura Ferris (@CardyGirl) October 31, 2014
Today we celebrate the perfect REAL body and all the women who have said “#IAmPerfect the way I am.” #TBT pic.twitter.com/CFD2GfokGE
— Dove (@Dove) October 30, 2014
Thanks @VictoriasSecret for affirming why I choose to not shop with you despite my college years as one of your employees. #Iamperfect
— jennifer mims (@jenmmims) October 31, 2014