Have you ever realized that every where you look, media always impose on us one body type to be THE body type we should all have.
Billboards, tv commercial, magazine … all young, thin and most of the time photoshoply flawless !
Yes but that’s not the reality, size acceptance and body positive activist like myself have tried to break this diktat for decades now, and it’s finally starting to crack a little.
Yes, juste a little, because diversity is not yest the new normal, body positivity is not yet something so well spread that some brand doesn’t feel the need to try to use it for the buzz even if they don’t understand it.
The good thing, is that we start to see people of all sizes, color and ages in some campaign, that’s huge and hopefully it will intensify.
So what’s out there for now ? I found 35 commercials from the last years and here they are.
Be careful, those videos might as well change your view on beauty and boost your self esteem !
1- Absolut Juice feat. Lizzo
Lizzo is the new pop diva, a sensation who’s taking over and you won’t be able to miss her.
Not because she’s big you bad mouth, but because she’s so talented people like Rihanna or Missy Elliot are supporting here. She’s so juicy that Absolut ask her to be in their new campaign, it will make you firsty.
2. Diamond bomb – Fenty beauty
Rihanna (her again) with Fenty is trying to include every one, every skin tone with her make up, every size with her lingerie.
No surprise to see Dexter Mayfield who’s usually the famous choreographer who’s in Taylor Swift video You need to calm down (and also next to her on stage for the MTV awards= finally in front of the camera for a shinny, full of glitter campaign.
3. I am what I am – Violeta by Mango
2019 Violeta SS19 campaign makes me want to live the summer all over again.
Lorena Durán, Iza Ijerman and Paloma Elsseser are the lovely curvy here.
Paloma Elsseser, remember that name because she’s the up coming plus size model and you’re going to see much more of her, including in that article he he.
4. Free to be – Zalando
It’s the new Zalando add, surfing on the body positivity vibes and I have to admit as a big girl I love that they say to me to show how big I can be, also seeing Felicity Hayward on a giant Bill board is a must. I just have to support this message of being ourself, as we want to, overcome our fear and insecurities.
Here you’ll see also Adwoa Aboah, Leroy Mokgatle, Alice Hurel.
5. We Are the Men – Global Male Body Positivity Campaign
We tend to think that body positivity is just for women, but men also have issues with body image.
You can find #Wearethemen on facebook
6. Swimsuits For All x King Size – Every. Body. Counts.
All bodies are good bodies, all bodies are beach bodies
Tara Lynn, Emme (she was the first plus size model in 1994, yep, she was born in 63), Sherri Sheppard and Zach Miko (aka the world first male plus size model) are just looking great and god it’s good to see different body types in swimwear.
7. Evax
If you watch television in Spain, you might have seen that add. For once it’s a product for everyday use, and yes we all like to move our ass 😀
Every add for every day products should be with people slim, big, small, tall ….
8. Veet
Once again, this is a add you can see in Spain, just in Spain.
I cannot shake the feeling that they find a way to hide the big girl as much as they can, but still, there’s more diversity here that in most of the beauty campaign on TV.
9. Project Body Hair by Billie
Can you imagine this campaign from 2018 have shocked people… because you can see woman with body hair ! But can you imagining a campaign for men rasor without a 3 days bearded guys ?
This is crazy to see how many people are shocked by hair on woman nowadays, we only started to shave our hait since 1915.
This campaign was following the #dyedpits trend form 2015 when women (including Madonna) where coloring their armpit hair.
10. red, whit and you do you – Billie
If you were shocked by the first billie campaign, the 2019 one is going to knock your socks off!
Who decided to put this pressure on woman ? Who decided that we have to hide body hair ? Porn industry maybe ! So someone one day decided we have to shave, and what if, crazy idea, we start accepting that everyone can be free to keep or not their hair ?
11. Show us _ Dove
Dove has been a precursor in body positive campaign, it’s nice to see them come back with so much diversity.
Big up to Amanda Lacount, the 18 years old professional plus size dancer you might have seen on stage with Lizzo and in the Fenty X Savage fashion show this month.
12. Curvepower – MS Mode
When MS Mode made that campaign in 2015, it took lots of us by surprise, like a big waves of positive energy. Seing curvy woman in all that makes them woman and human, celebrating their curves and beauty was new.
In 2015, body positivity was not the trend it is now, this kind of add where kind of non-existent.
I know it took a tear or two of joy from some big girls I know.
13. Fashion freedom – Yours clothing
But 2015 was also the wake up of the plus size fashion industry, when they understand their clients wanted to see something else, like strong, smart, sexy and confident woman.
Yes big girl can be sexy !
14. More reasons to move – Asos
You would think there will be only thin and fit people in a commercial for sportswear, WRONG.
Think again. Sport is for everybody !
15. SAVAGE X FENTY Presents: Audrey
When Rihanna decided to launch Savage X Fenty, she wanted to make it clear that it was for every body, that every woman should feel free to live in her own body … and she definitely make a smart communication
16. I am what I am – Violeta by Mango
Look like all body positive campaign look a little bit the same, maybe they are, but don’t you want to go play and sing with Ashley Graham after seeing her in this video ?
17. Me unlimited – Zalando
Just like you, unlimited … I think you start to see the message behind the commercial.
I have to admit, it’s nice to see Beth Ditto here, not like in the last Calvin Klein campaign when you see her less than 3 seconds… just saying …
18. Keep on being you, it’s a really great look – Misguided
I love love this one from 2017. This is diversity, outrageous and unlimited for real this time fashion, just make me want to put on some glitter, sexy clothe and go party !
Sadly the last Missguided campaign are more “conventional” and with the diversity is gone with only one body type again.
19. Go play – Asos
2017 again here, with this idea again of being with no limits and push your own boundaries… this time with make up. Looks like 2017 was the year of celebrated people uniqueness
20. Gabi Fresh x Swimsuits For All: Force of Nature
When the influencer Gabi Fresh launch swimsuit capsule for plus size, she really revolutionized this corner of the fashion industry.
Big girl were supposed to wear one piece … not anymore, and they slay in swimsuits !
21. Good as hell – Swimsuits for all
Yep, this is Lizzo singing and wearing swimsuits, with Ashley graham. Such an incredible energy… ok I think I need holidays now.
Look like creative people love Lizzo’s song for their campaigns.
22. Laissez parler votre curiosité – ASOS
Have you seen her ? Like three seconds ar the end, the french pop singer Yseult
Still, here diversity is alive, but we know Asos can make it better.
23. #ThisBody Is Made to Shine |- Lane Bryant
Lane Bryant was one of the first who really start doing differents campaign, fierce woman who don’t give a shit about what people say and think about them, was a real fresh breeze.
24. GabiFresh x Swimsuits For All: New Year. Same You.
For once, nobody is asking you to push your limits, to be authentic or whatever, just keep doing what you do … isn’t that a sweet resolution, be the confident woman you already are.
Well at least try to do that, because sadly there’s still a lot of woman who are not confident in their body, but you know what they say, one step at a time.
25. H&M Autumn Season 2016: She’s a Lady
Remember Paloma from the 3rd video on this article 😉
26. We are Violeta – Violeta by Mango
Have you seen this add with Rossy de Palma and Barbie Ferreira (one of the star of Euphoria on HBO) ?
Having Mango creating a real plus size collection was such a good thing, such a shame their sizing is so weird, like I can buy their swimsuits, some dresses tees and skirts, and sometimes every thing is too small. Would be nice having a message consistent with what you do.
27. I’m No Angel – Cacique
This add was just a slap in the face of Victoria’s secret angels, still laughing years after about that big buzz.
Sound so good not be an angel ! Because in real life, we are magnificent without filter, yes you too 🙂
28. Plus is equal – Lane Bryant
In 2015, Lane Bryant was really revolutionizing the vision about curvy woman.
This was new, unique, done with balls !
Can’t wait to see add so powerful with woman from every size, like really every size and morphologies.
29. #Iwontcompromise – Penningtons
There is so many clichés going around about people, not only about fat people.
Breaking stereotypes like that is so inspiring, I would I love them to do more campaign like that.
30. Be Remarkable – Macy’s
This is the brand new add from Macy’s, so yes diversity, and I wish I could change clothes magically as they do in that video.
Oh, can you guess who made the music and sings here ?
Let me help you, it start with an L and finish with a O, so L***O 😉
31. I wish I could wear | Amazon Fashion
When amazon launched their fashion shop, they wanted to make noise, so they decided to go for body positivity.
But I never found that turquoise dress on amazon … still it was nice, and the first and only campaign for Amazon fashion Europe with diversity.
32. The dance – H&M
I think you know the drill now, but one big girl, energetic music, a bunch of people all colors and ages … and you’ve got yourself a lovely body positive campaign.
So what’s different here ? This one is about women supporting women, and also there is Wynona Ryder here, what I like her.
33. Meet the #ChromatBABE Guard
Chromat have been crown by myself the king of diveristy.
They are the only ones, years after years, during the New York fashion week, to have a fashion show with what diversity should always look like.
So of course, when they do a campaign with #ChromatBABE you can expect excellence from same.
So they choose Mama Cax (model and amputee, when she was 14, doctors said she have 3 weeks to live), Ericka Hart (Sex educator, activist and breast cancer survivor), Geena Rocero (model and trans), Emme (first plus size model and senior now) and Denise Bidot (curve model and mum, she was the first plus size to walk the runway at the New York Fashion week).
34. Onslaught – Dove
If someone ask you why it is so important to change the fashion and beauty industry, why body positivity and diversity have to be the new normal, just show them that video.
It’s more than 10 years old, there’s still so much to do.
35. Evolution – Dove
We have been lied too, body shamed, puts under unrealistic body expectation, manipulated … all of us.
Why ? So we would buy more products, try more diets, be so occupied feeling bad with ourself that we would miss what was really important.
This video was out in october 2006.
Once in a while there is a photoshop scandal or disaster, an actress or singer who’s surprised to see that she don’t look like herself on a cover, like the model Emily Ratajowski with French magazine Figaro, or things like this impossible Ralph Lauren model
In 2017 France decided to pass a “Photoshop law” so we have a warning when picture are airbrushed and photoshopped.
France, Spain, Israel and Italy have banned from the runway models with and IBM inferior at 18
Some fashion brand are changing there ways, we can see stretch marks sometimes like in Asos, or non retouching swimsuit models for their ads like for H&M and Arie’s, even Getty images has ordered to their photographers not to alter body shapes.
But still, all those are small exceptions.
I just want to ask you two questions.
Do you feel the pressure on your body and the way you look ?
Do you feel those adds could help changing things ?
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