I'm a big fan of voting with my feet (or purse, as the case may be). So when Genesis Fitness unleashed a new campaign/ membership promotion, I voted with my purse and cancelled my membership. I also submitted a complaint to The Advertising Standards Bureau.
What promotion is it that has prompted all of this? The "Fat Ass Fighters" promotion. It shows a sweating pig wearing running shoes, sitting on a set of scales. It's not until you look closely at the bigger ad that you notice a slot in the pigs back - apparently it's meant to be a money box/piggy bank.
Genesis ran a promotion a couple of years ago along similar lines to this, using "arse" instead of "ass". Complaints to ASB about it were upheld. So why are they trying again?
What's my problem with the promo? It's not exactly positive encouragement. Calling me a "fat ass" isn't exactly making me feel all warm and fuzzy about the place. Yes, I'm above my healthy weight. Yes, I'm doing something about it. Calling me names, however, does not encourage me, nor does it make me feel inclined to continue giving over $80 of my hard-earned money each month.
But hey, there are those out there that will see no problem with this promo, and will probably even insult me themselves. To them I say "hey, insult me, say what you want, that's fine. You're entitled to your opinion. I'm not paying you to do it."
Why would I pay money to be offended?
2 comments:
I agree wholeheartedly. What absolute rubbish! I too have voted with my feet and cancelled my membership (...I'll take my fat arse elsewhere!)
At the end of the day, I don't think there is anything encouraging or inspiring about the advertisement.
What losers.
Yeah good on you! Fernwood are at it too which I couldn't believe, since aren't they meant to be about rejecting the usual competitive body-image rubbish that goes with gyms? Their billboard read in big bold letters "LOSE WEIGHT FOR FOX SAKES". Am I the only one that has a problem with this? Not losing weight for "health's sakes" but so you can achieve sex object status. Cooool.
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