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Victoria’s Secret is known for its quality lingerie, but the models who wear the lingerie might be more recognizable.
The new Victoria’s Secret “Body For Everybody, Love Your Body” ad campaign encourages women to admire the body they have. It promotes the addition of three new styles to the lingerie company’s best-selling Body by Victoria bra collection. The mini-collection is titled “’Love My Body” and introduces the newest faces to join the notorious line up of VS supermodels.
I always endorse any publicity that initiates women to appreciate their body type, regardless of shape and size. I believe health should triumph the external desire to be thin. Yet, when I look at the ad with the words “I love my body” next to lanky, goddesses of women, I don’t have the urge to love my body.
Actually, my reaction is quite the opposite. I felt almost insulted and thought the tone seemed more narcissistic than supportive.
I’m sure most women’s reactions when they look at any Victoria’s Secret model is not complete admiration for their own body in comparison. Envy, insecurity, motivation to go to the gym and put down the cookie is what comes to mind when I look at scantily clad Victoria’s Secret models.
The Victoria’s Secret latest ad campaign appears to mimic Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty.” The vital difference is the Dove campaign does feature a diverse group of women who represent various body sizes, shapes and ages. Victoria’s Secret’s “Love Your Body” does nothing more than put more young, slender, tanned and toned women in a bra and panties. How original.
Certainly all women deal with personal insecurities and body image issues that may lie deeper than what spectators can imagine. I’m sure even Victoria’s Secret models have bad days when they look at the girl next to them and feel insecure about their own self-conceived problem areas. However, they are glorified for their impeccable body and faces, so I’m sure they get over any issues rather quickly.
Dove went against the normal stereotypes by showcasing women who looked confident, healthy and larger than a size 2. The campaign Dove launched in 2004 was empowering and advocated women to learn how to love every bump, curve or other imperfection that didn’t fall into line with what society has deemed as beautiful.
One would imagine if Victoria’s Secret was serious about its ad campaign aimed for women to “Love Your Body,” it would include more than the stereotypical lingerie and swimsuit model in the campaign.
The theme for the new collection is the promotion that there’s a “body” or bra for everyone, so put women of all figures into the ads to actually show that.