I recently came across a post on my new favourite website Feministing.com (seriously...friggin love this website. Thank you Jessica Valenti!). Even though it pissed me right off, I am really glad that I came across this Gap advertisement (see bottom of post for link). I don’t shop at The Gap all the time – nor is it my all-time favourite store – but I have purchased a few things from them over the years. However, I will no longer be shopping at The Gap. And I wrote their marketing and advertising department to tell them what I thought about their latest promotional material:
To Whom it May Concern,
I am writing in regards to your latest advertisement that ”promotes” your shorts (”Put some pants on! Because we can’t all look good in shorts”).
While controversy may indeed assist in getting The Gap attention and sales, it is quite disgusting that a) you need to spark controversy to attain sales and b) that you choose to use shame in order to do so.
By having ads such as these, you are maintaining and promoting unrealistic beauty standards that are so detrimental to our society. I fail to see why a company as large and successful as The Gap cannot create and use advertising that makes people feel comfortable with their bodies. But alas, you make money by making people feel bad about themselves and their appearance. If an individual feels poorly about his/her appearance, they will rush out to spend their paychecks on clothing, makeup, hair products or worse: plastic surgery; things that will improve their looks and allow them to ”fit in”.
People with varying body shapes and sizes have enough trouble finding a place in mainstream society (and the media) where they can feel comfortable in their own skin. To suggest that these people should not wear an article of clothing such as shorts because they might ”offend” the public is offensive in itself. It is appalling. And for a company that also specializes in children’s clothing: what kind of message will you be sending to them? What about the little girl that comes into The Gap to buy a pair of shorts and, in your world, she isn’t ”conventionally” beautiful, skinny, etc. Are you going to ”suggest” she buy pants? What kind of effect do you think this will have on her?
I want to know: Where do you draw the line? Today it’s about overweight individuals – tomorrow, what, are your ads going to target people of colour? The gay community? What you may think is a harmless, even witty, advertisement sends out a very strong and impressionable message which can result in dangerous consequences.
Perhaps your marketing and advertising team need to be more aware of the impact your materials can have on, not only the people who shop in your store, but also those who walk by your windows.
I, and I assume I’m not the only one since this ad came out, will no longer be shopping for shorts, or any other article of clothing, at The Gap. And that’s a shame, because I look amazing in shorts.
Sincerely,
Megan Ellison.
I am really proud of this letter. This is the first time I have ever done something like this. I lack confidence in my writing skills but I figure I will keep practicing (because there are SO many more letters to be written to companies that use sexist advertising or advertising that makes us feel and look like pure shit). Even though the message in the ad may be hazy (they don't outright say who it is that doesn't look good in shorts), it doesn't take a genius to figure out who they mean and who this ad is targeting.
I brought it up to someone I know (an ex-boyfriend of mine, actually) and when I told him why I was offended, his response was:
"I would assume that most people who are upset with that ad are people who are upset with themselves for not taking the time and effort to live a healthy lifestyle (hence not looking good in shorts) or are friends with people like that."
He continued to back up his response by saying:
"I just think if people are so insecure that they are actually influenced by these ads, then I don't mind that they feel bad. Like, if you are doing well, and you're happy with yourself, words on a poster or on a commercial shouldn't make you feel bad about yourself. And if it does, you have larger issues, most likely. At some point you have to stand up for yourself."
My response was this (and keep in mind I have a little trouble putting my thoughts into words sometimes...):
"As if its not hard enough to live up to the subtle and sometimes subconscious beauty standards created by the media - now they are actually STATING these standards, making them so in your face and making money off of it. And people think it's funny! They don't think about the effect that things like these have on people (and more so women).
We are surrounded by these messages. They are so embedded in our society and in our minds. Are you telling me that you dont have standards about what you think is beautiful or hot or pretty? Of course you do...and those are created for you by the media.
You think it's so easy for someone with weight issues to walk down the street? Perhaps they get heckled or made fun of or people stare at them. They can just shrug it off and be okay with it? Yeah, sure, they could go lose the weight but what is their reason for losing it? Are they losing it is to "fit in" and conform to what society thinks is beautiful? And even if they do lose the weight - what if their nose doesnt look right or (if it's a female) her boobs aren't big enough? It never ends!"
It really never ends. We don't need another poster, ad, or commercial telling us we're not good enough or that we don't look good enough. We don't need The Gap telling us we can't wear shorts. What we DO need is more positive advertising. It's hard to find, but it's out there. Just gotta get through the garbage to get to the goods.
http://feministing.com/2010/08/03/the-gap-wants-you-to-cover-up-your-ugly-legs/
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