Moment of Zen: You Can Find Joy in the Scale

Twas the night before Christmas and what did I see?

The first commercial signaling the New Year to be.

I let out a giggle and then I just sighed.

Lets tighten our belts and enjoy the ride!

On Diets, On Treadmills, On Low-Carb, and Cheat Days

On Fat-Free, on South Beach, On Alli and the latest craze!

Although I didn’t actually write that until just now. I actually have no idea where that came from. It just came out.

On Christmas Eve I just giggled and sighed and thought “It’s On.”

I saw the first of what I knew would be an onslaught of diet and fitness marketing that occurs every year.

I was amused because I imagined a lot of people would take issue with a theme of the commercial. I haven’t heard a peep though.

I FINALLY found the spot online to share with you:

You can find joy in the scale.

My thoughts?

I’m not getting my ED panties all up in a wedge over this. Not at all.

(I actually have this magnet on my fridge)

 

The fact is people CAN gain joy, freedom, and confidence as part of their weight loss journey. The fact is we DO have an obesity epidemic in this country and a national norm of compulsive eating.

 

Weight loss does not guarantee perfect health or happiness, it is not an answer to depression or insecurity. This commercial doesn’t promise that.

And some people? Well, we get sick and develop eating disorders. Maybe we start to believe the ONLY way to get joy is from the scale. Maybe it started as a diet. Maybe not.

But we don’t “catch” eating disorders from Special K commercials.

I give props to Special K for marketing weight loss using an appeal OTHER than aesthetics, swimsuits and skinny jeans.

Special K gets WAY under my skin with their commercials, so I’m actually surprised I’m Ok with this one. I mean…their models never EVER need to lose much weight. Or any.

I wish they had obese people jumping up and down in the commercial above, but obese people (apparently) only belong on reality TV. I guess. Whatever. It’s Fine.

It’s a normal-people world and we’re just living in it.

Does it send a WRONG message? Depends how you look at it.

Does it send a POSITIVE message? I think so, no matter how you look at it.

 

That is all.

Please weigh in. <—Pun Intended and Enjoyed Thoroughly.

PS-

I have not seen this particular commercial again but I have seen other spots from the campaign. These other spots kind of elaborate more on the theme of the campaign and I think they do much more in promoting a culture that embraces weight loss for it’s emotional and health benefits rather than the perfect number and size. They use a women on the street approach with more dialogue that shows our anxiety over a number and then surprises us.

Read Full Post »

Hail to the V? Hail to the Yeah.

 

I was watching late-night television in a twilight sleep when a certain commercial roused me.

It was a Summer’s Eve commercial expounding the power and glory of…

”The V”

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I feared I dreamt the whole thing as I feverishly googled it and found nothing the next day. That was weeks ago.

I finally saw it again last night and this time my internet search was a success.

Have you seen it? If not take a minute. (If you want).

Douche is a product with a history of offending feminist sensibilities. I don’t want to get into that. I just want to celebrate this fresh spin on marketing to females. About their vaginas.

For once, a feminine hygiene (<—don’t like that term) product is being sold as…a feminine hygiene product. No fields of flowers; no fluffy clouds or white dresses. No hushed conversations between mothers and daughters.

This is the first advertisement I’ve seen where the vagina is referenced, albeit indirectly.  Loud and proud, except not really.

The slogan isn’t “Hail to the Vagina.” It’s “The V.”

But “Hail to the Vagina” doesn’t really work anyway.

I came across another Summer’s Eve campaign that I can’t get over.

Can you guess what this “talking hand” is supposed to symbolize?

Georgia O’Keeffe would be proud.

This particular campaign is causing some controversy – I won’t weigh in on that but it is interesting. You can watch the story here. (I highly suggest you do). 

So the vagina is no longer as taboo as it once was. How about that?

I think we can thank Oprah.

And Betty.

I don’t douche. None of my friends do, either. Is this new modern campaign targeting women of our generation? Me thinks so.

But, while I appreciate the commercial, I’m not buying it. I’m fine, thanks.

Read Full Post »

I’m Not Buying It

Every product or company has someone, somewhere boycotting it. Guaranteed. Consumers can choose not to add dollars to the profit coffers of companies that offend their political, environmental, or humanitarian sensitivities.

I’d love to be a well-educated and ethical consumer but, to be honest, I’m lazy. I keep meaning to make sure my products aren’t tested on animals and that none of my dollars go to Monsanto, but…(but what?).

(Source)

There are products I will NEVER buy for personal reasons. Some products just fizzle my twinkle. Just because.

I’m not proselytizing or trying to start an intelligent debate. I DO mean personal reasons. 

Sometimes, It’s because their mama dressed them funny.

Wine in a plastic bottle? I’m not buying it. No matter how “green” it is.

Here are 3 products that get my “That’s SO Wrong” stamp of disapproval and why.

1. Kleenex Hand Towels

Clever idea. Pure marketing genius, in fact. I admit, I’ve never understood the “hand-towel” concept (they’re just for show, right?). But come on! Don’t we kill enough trees already? If you’re rich enough to afford souped-up paper towels for your bathroom, please install a hand dryer instead. 

Ahh…much nicer.

2. Fruit2Day

*Deep breath* I need to calm myself. This product really irritates me.  I’ll try and be brief.

Basically, it’s juice. JUICE. But they sell it as fruit. Because…(because why?).

Because evidently “it’s hard” to eat five servings of fruit everyday.

And why eat fruit when you can buy a product proclaiming to be REAL fruit.

 

REAL fruit. In a bottle. Created for the TRUE FRUIT LOVER!!

The fruit-lover who loves fruit, just not eating it.

After all, who needs fruit? With all it’s requisite chewing.

And Cutting.

So tiresome. So difficult.

And fruit makes a sticky mess! Have you seen the commercials? A woman is working at her desk and bites into a peach. The juice EXPLODES everywhere, rendering her hands useless (?) so when the phone rings she tries to answer it with her foot.

Really? REALLY? Is eating a piece of fruit at your desk really that hazardous?

Please buy fruit, people. Pretty please? It’s not that messy.

       

3. Abilify

You’ve seen the ads. They’re ubiquitous. Every channel, all the the time. Why? Because this company thinks everyone should be on drugs. 

Abilify is an anti-psychotic drug developed to treat bipolar and schizophrenia. Then, in typical big-pharma fashion, they decided to tap into another revenue stream and medicate people who’re already medicated!

So they invented the term add-on depression treatment. Essentially, what they’re selling is a drug to treat, not depression, but depression treatments! It’s a drug treatment for your drug treatment.

My brain hurts.

Yes, these are the things I think about. I am obsessed with marketing and advertising and I could keep going. In fact, I probably will.

Maybe I’m crazy. Quick! Someone prescribe me something.

• What products are you hating on?

Ps- I do not take, nor would I, psychiatric medication. It’s not right for me. I understand some people benefit greatly from it. No judgment. (0:

 

Read Full Post »

*Moment of Zen* Pop that Pig

I caught this commercial while waiting for my favorite Sunday Morning program to begin:

(go ahead and pretend like you don’t watch cartoons every once in a while)

 

In light of the horrendous childhood obesity epidemic, I couldn’t help but wonder…..Seriously?

*I’m not trying to make this more than what it is – just a children’s game. However, sometimes you gotta stop and say: what the….what??*

PS- What can’t you find on YouTube? 

Read Full Post »