Nike's Big Butt Campaign

g'em

I came across a discussion about Nike's Big Butt Campaign:



Now, while there's actually a debate going on as to whether the ad is real or not (the mis-spelling of the word "embassador [sic]" would suggest it's not totally legit) the poem was actually featured in a genuine 2005 Nike campaign.

So, authenticity aside, what do tLLers think of an ad campaign like this? I guess it's along the lines of Dove Beauty campaign (which unfortunately has since been argued to be heavy on the marketing, light on sincerity) in that it's using real women with real bodies and real needs.

Personally I love the picture - this girl is curvy in what I consider to be the real sense of the word and she's extremely attractive in my eyes, but I wouldn't be at all enamoured with the accompanying text - there's an element of bitchiness towards other women that isn't particularly needed ("it's a border collie that herds skinny women away from the best deals"). Although I did smile at the last line

What do you girls (and guys!) think?

Malari

I agree I think the woman used is attractive. I don't even think her arse is that big - most people with svelte figures could make their bum look like that if they wore those kind of pants and stood in the same way!

However, I do draw comparisons with the "real women" campaign in that I find it a bit bitchy towards "skinny" women (like, what size woman have they used in the ad??!) and far from being patted on the back for using someone deemed overweight in their advertising, I think Nike (if it's a real ad) should be treated with cynical suspicion for drawing such attention to it. Its the debate between the whole "real vs thin" people that they want to instigate and get their name oft-repeated in the press.

Really, you want to use bigger than average women in your ads? Great, if you think that's going to do your profile any good, just get on with it and stop rubbing everyone's nose in it by exclaiming how wonderful you are for doing so in the same ad!

Silverfish

Actual contributions to the topic only, please folks.

Thanks.

panda100

Its an awaful,awful advert. Isnt Nike about sport and getting fit? What on earth does a womens bum have to do with that?

Its also quite offensive to us skinny women as well. I hate this whole new 'real' women thing. Its like the only way you can be a 'real' women is to have a big bum and big tits. Last time I checked down there I'm a real women yet Im as flat as a pancake in both breasts and bum. I hate being made feel bad about how I look by adverts,hence I hate this ad.

Yet another reason to avoid Nike like the Plague.

g'em

Malari wrote: »

Really, you want to use bigger than average women in your ads? Great, if you think that's going to do your profile any good, just get on with it and stop rubbing everyone's nose in it by exclaiming how wonderful you are for doing so in the same ad!

You could argue (again for the sake of argument lets assume the ad is real) that because Nike is a brand in the Health and Fitness Industry that the girl used in the picture is a shape that normal people can aspire to - i.e. a healthy shape (and I really do mean physical health, the kind of shape tat which you are least prone to weight related diseases). If you were to use a much bigger than average person it would negate the fitness message that Nike is trying to get across.

panda100 - in fairness, a non-skinny woman being used in an ad is a rarity, advertisements grossly favour your shape over someone with more padding.

When I saw that picture first the thing that struck me most wasn't her bum at all actually, it's her fantastic quads and delts!!

jellie

panda100 wrote: »

Its an awaful,awful advert. Isnt Nike about sport and getting fit? What on earth does a womens bum have to do with that?

I could be wrong (& im sure g'em will correct me if i am!) but is it maybe something to do with muscles due to certain sports/exercise?

To be honest, I wouldnt spend much time thinking about it. If its a real advert by its nature its designed to grab attention and create a hype. I have to say I did like the dove ads because they showed a whole range of womens sizes and ages, whereas this one seems to be coming back to the curvy/real debate which i just find incredibly annoying.

Malari

g'em wrote: »

You could argue (again for the sake of argument lets assume the ad is real) that because Nike is a brand in the Health and Fitness Industry that the girl used in the picture is a shape that normal people can aspire to - i.e. a healthy shape (and I really do mean physical health, the kind of shape tat which you are least prone to weight related diseases). If you were to use a much bigger than average person it would negate the fitness message that Nike is trying to get across.

Yeah, I get that, and I didn't mean a BIG woman, I just meant someone bigger than your normal skinny model.

g'em wrote: »

When I saw that picture first the thing that struck me most wasn't her bum at all actually, it's her fantastic quads and delts!!

Actually I thought this too, her thighs are strong looking, she'd make a good rower! Having watched a fair bit of the athletics in Barcelona last week, I was thinking to myself about body shapes and fitness. I mean you take a 5000m runner, a 100m sprinter, a discus thrower and a high-jumper...all really fit women, all muscley or strong in different ways. But I reckon most people would aspire to look like the high-jumper because they have the kind of bodies that are most often used in female fitness advertising.

panda100

jellie wrote: »

I have to say I did like the dove ads because they showed a whole range of womens sizes and ages, whereas this one seems to be coming back to the curvy/real debate which i just find incredibly annoying.

+1.

Without the text the advert would have been fine. It shows a healthy women with wonderful muscle tone, exercising in her Nike's,nothing wrong with that.
The text completely changes the message of the ad from one of fitness to one about making your bum look good and dissing skinny women. Not a healthy or good message imo.

LeahK

I like it, its refreshing from say that idiotic and frustrating advert that reebok have for their new runners! Not only do I not want to see 60 seconds of asses wiggling about the screen but it certainly does not make me feel any better about my body and make me want to buy the product!

I dont think the advert is neccessarily stating that women of a certain shape are the most attractive, I think its selling an attitude of "Im healthy,fit and this is what I look like, deal with it"

As a user of a lot of fitness products, this would stand out to me. Maybe I wont buy what they are selling but I'll remember it/brand for sure.

panda100

LeahK wrote: »

I like it, its refreshing from say that idiotic and frustrating advert that reebok have for their new runners! ha ha

Not only do I not want to see 60 seconds of asses wiggling about the screen but it certainly does not make me feel any better about my body and make me want to buy the product!

I HATE that ad.
Can you imagine a sports ad showing men with their bums wiggling all over the place? I dislike the way the emphasis on women's sports ad's is on looking good and having pert behinds rather than having fun,keeping fit and being healthy.

speedboatchase

As a male, I think it's a good ad - I think it's a more achievable shape and it's not intimidating to either sex. I think especially in America, this kind of shape is becoming more accepted, which is fantastic for men (who obviously would prefer it to a stick-thin size 4/6) and for women too, as it will hopefully encourage more body confidence. Also, unlike the Dove campaign, this ad seems sexy, fulfilled and confidence, whereas the Dove ads came across to me as patronising and tokenist to me at least. The Reebok ads you mentioned are quite odd - I seen Kelly Brook advertising a pair of shoes beside a billboard of her naked, which is pretty weak advertising. Also, this ad has already got people talking and discussing it, so it can't be half-bad


I understand what you're saying though, Panda, that you don't like ads such as this which single out one type of body at the expese of another (a skinnier, more petite frame), but you could say this is Nike attempting to redress the balance after that shape had long been the mainstay for fitness campaigns

Larianne

g'em wrote: »

When I saw that picture first the thing that struck me most wasn't her bum at all actually, it's her fantastic quads and delts!!

Yeah, when I looked at it first I didn't see a big ass. I saw strong thighs and arms.

I like how its showing a different type of athlete/healthy figure.

panda100 wrote: »

+1.

Without the text the advert would have been fine. It shows a healthy women with wonderful muscle tone, exercising in her Nike's,nothing wrong with that.
The text completely changes the message of the ad from one of fitness to one about making your bum look good and dissing skinny women. Not a healthy or good message imo.

Yeah, I think the text is stupid. But I think most fitness related ads aimed at women are crap.

Vegeta

panda100 wrote: »

I HATE that ad.
Can you imagine a sports ad showing men with their bums wiggling all over the place? I dislike the way the emphasis on women's sports ad's is on looking good and having pert behinds rather than having fun,keeping fit and being healthy.

Wayne Rooney takes his top off in one of the latest ads for powerade or lucozade or some such. Remember the first time seeing it and thinking, why the hell is he topless. Most adds I can think of for fitness equipment use guys and girls who look great.

Saying that, those Reebok ads are daft. Who exactly are they aimed at, sure sex sells but why are they showing scantly clad women while trying to sell the product to women. Trying to force the link between the Reebok brand and having a fit body a little too hard. So hard in fact I am sure the ad repels some women and is titillating for men, who are not going to buy trainers for women.

On the Nike add above, I don't like the text which mentions skinny women as if being thin is a bad thing. It's just not clever, risks alienating a market for very little impact in the ad.

Very attractive body type and bar the comments on skinny women I think the ad would do much better than the current Reebok ones.

LeahK

To back up what I tried to say it my earlier post....this does not want to make me buy reeboks. In actual fact I think the advert is geared towards men..strange strategy?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1300214/Kelly-Brook-bares-sole-naked-Reebok-trainers-billboard.html

Yeah, I think the text is stupid. But I think most fitness related ads aimed at women are crap

I agree 100%

speedboatchase

LeahK wrote: »

To back up what I tried to say it my earlier post....this does not want to make me buy reeboks. In actual fact I think the advert is geared towards men..strange strategy?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1300214/Kelly-Brook-bares-sole-naked-Reebok-trainers-billboard.html




I agree 100%

I think it basically comes down to - Reebok's ad is dumb and short-sighted while Nike's ad is provocative and is getting people talking for the right reasons

Wibbs

Pity they didnt check the copy for spelling mistakes or is that how we're spelling "ambassador" these days(maybe a US spelling?).

I do think its a more healthy image for sure when compared to the "Ive only eaten a stick of celery in the last month" look. Most fashion models are not the skinny women of everyday life. An Irish size 6 at 511 ain't just skinny. I'd also say its a healthier image than a size 20 woman, from the physical point of view anyway. If not the mental.

The best thing would be to vary the size of the women in ads. Have all parts of the physical spectrum. Of course they're still going to be prettier than the average. That's their job, but it would be a better bet across the board.

Lia_lia

I don't know why skinny people get so offended with these "real woman" campaigns. It's obviously just a marketing ploy. I have no ass or boobs and couldn't care less. As for the ad, whatever. Doesn't make me want to buy Nike products!

southsiderosie

LeahK wrote: »

To back up what I tried to say it my earlier post....this does not want to make me buy reeboks. In actual fact I think the advert is geared towards men..strange strategy?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1300214/Kelly-Brook-bares-sole-naked-Reebok-trainers-billboard.html

The worst thing about the Reebok ads is that they are using women like Kelly Brook and Helena Christensen who aren't even athletes, or who have athletic bodies. I probably wouldn't care for it if it featured Maria Sharapova, but at least it would make more sense.

I hate Nike sneakers, but the image in the Nike butt ad is something I would stick inside my gym locker or the fridge as motivation - she looks fit and powerful.

Handsome Bob

Nike? I thought that was Reebok.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoRbDm644E8

I saw that ad in the cinema....with Toy Story 3. I was surprised to say the least. :pac:

The_Morrigan

Personally I like the ad - I do think its a case of I'm fit and so what if I've a big butt - I can probably out run/swim/cycle the perfect size ten "ideal woman"

I'd like to think that its the advertisers trying to think that women don't always fit into the categories they've created over the years and if they don't fit into a category they should create one rather than try be something they aren't or can't be!!
This could be wishful thinking on my part though.

Silverfish

There's a few of these:

panda100

Oh I love the Shoulder and Thighs ones,their message is a lot more positive than the butt one.

southsiderosie

Those are the original ads; they popped up a few years ago.

Hooray for thunder thighs!

EDIT: Reading through those, they all make references to clothes or getting dressed, so within this context, the "border collie" comment makes more sense. As someone who used to have the build of the girl in the "new" butt ad (used to...*sniff*) I will admit that I would be willing to hip-bump a pensioner out of the way if it meant I could grab the last pair of size 12 Banana Republic flat-front trousers on sale, as they were the only pants on earth that could accommodate my butt and thighs without showing my crack or being too short. Most clothes are not designed for women with broad shoulders or big legs or junk in the trunk (and don't get me started on big boobs), especially if they are short-waisted and have the legs of a six-foot tall giant.

rainbow kirby

Have to say I love the one about thighs - because it's quite similar to how I've come to feel about my own.

Bottle_of_Smoke

As regards the Kelly Brooke ad it is important to remember Reebok make a larger proportion of their profits from goods sold for fashion than goods sold for sports. If you live in a working class area look at what the kids on street corners are wearing. Its probably just designed to catch people's eye to increase brand familiarity, no reason to believe it is targeting women

Really like the nike ads message. The bum one seemed a bit ridiculous but seeing the others it makes more sense. maybe they're not out and out capitalist pigs after all(yeah right)

g'em

Cheers for those Silverfish - put together as a series I think they send a really positive message - I don't remember them when they were originally launched, I would have hoped that a campaign like that would have marked a change for further advertising ploys, but perhaps not.

Oh and +1 gazillion on the Reebok ad, it seems to crop up in the pre-movie ads in the cinema. Womens' bums in widescreen, now there's marketing for ya :rolleyes:

LeahK

, no reason to believe it is targeting women

I agreed with most of what you said but this didnt make sense...?

Its a womans product, with a woman in the advert. If its not women they are targeting their campaign then who are they targeting?

Brand awareness aside, a maker of sports clothes should be appealing to not only the average girl on the street but to girls who take their sport seriously...i.e every girl!
I think Reebok have lost their way on this one to be honest. Nike gets my vote!

coffee_cake

LeahK wrote: »

I agreed with most of what you said but this didnt make sense...?

Its a womans product, with a woman in the advert. If its not women they are targeting their campaign then who are they targeting?

I can't speak for women in general, but I don't want to look at women jiggling their asses in my face on an ad. I don't think such an ad would really be aimed at me...
I don't know who came up with it, but I really think they were confused...

southsiderosie

I don't know if anyone else watches "Mad Men", but the Reebok ads remind me of the episode where the men were screening an Ann-Margaret clip which they wanted to use to sell Diet Soda. There was only one woman in the room, who (correctly) noted that they were trying to sell a product to women, and a screeching Ann-Margaret clone would only appeal to men. Of course they ignored her, and of course she was right.

Knowing that companies spend millions of dollars developing ad campaigns, I have to wonder who they screened the bum/naked with sneakers ads to before they ran them. Two thumbs down.

g'em

southsiderosie wrote: »

I don't know if anyone else watches "Mad Men", but the Reebok ads remind me of the episode where the men were screening an Ann-Margaret clip which they wanted to use to sell Diet Soda. There was only one woman in the room, who (correctly) noted that they were trying to sell a product to women, and a screeching Ann-Margaret clone would only appeal to men. Of course they ignored her, and of course she was right.

I really have to start watching Mad Men, I've heard nothing but good things about it

\aside

It's the same in the movie "What Women Want" (albeit in a rather dumbed-down, cotton wool, fluffy kind of way :pac:) - Mel Gibson's character, when challenged to come up with an ad campaign for lipstick suggests bikini clad models standing under a waterfall or some such nonsense.

But in the end, when Mel "knows what women want" :rolleyes: they create an ad campaign also for Nike that I actually really, really loved - did it ever actually become a real campaign I wonder?

You don't stand in front of a mirror before a run wondering what the road will think of your outfit. You don't have to listen to its jokes and pretend they're funny in order to run on it. It would not be easier to run if you dressed sexier. The road doesn't notice if you're not wearing lipstick. Does not care how old you are. You do not feel uncomfortable because you make more money than the road. And you can call on the road whenever you feel like it. Whether it's been a day or even a couple of hours since your last date. The only thing the road cares about, is that you pay it a visit once in a while.
Nike. No games, just sports.

elba

Overall I like the Nike ads as the text focuses on the functional use of the body part featured rather than the just the aesthetic and I think focusing on what your body can do rather than (just) what it looks like is a positive thing.

However, I do wish that ad campaigns could use different shaped models without their shapes, and the company's decision to use them, being the selling point of the ad. It’s normal for people to be different shapes and sizes and stressing the figure of models that are larger than the standard just makes the whole thing ring false to me.

I don’t really like the Dove campaign because of that and I agree that the ‘real woman’ tag can be viewed as creating divisions. I’m sure it is intended to be, and possibly is, a self esteem boost for women who don’t see their shape featured in ads (the vast majority) but to me it doesn’t mean a whole lot – someone isn’t more a woman because she has curves than someone without.

The Reebok ad is a bit ridiculous. The selling point of the shoe seems to be that they improve your butt and legs so I assume that is why the focus is on that but it seems like someone in a boardroom got a bit carried away when ideas were been thrown out.