How social media told Protein World where to stick its #beachbodyready ads
Protestors have been creative in their attempts to get London Underground ads - which ask commuters if they are '#beachbodyready' with creative featuring an ultra-fit model - removed.
Richard Stavely, head of marketing for Protein World supplement sales firm, complained that the ads had been subjected to numerous acts of vandalism during their time in the tube.
He told Good Morning Britain: "We’ve actually had threats on our head office, physical, violent threats. We had a bomb threat."
As a result of the backlash, the company made the unsubstantiated claim that it received £1m in four days of sales due to the increased media exposure - a large profit on the alleged £250,000 it had spent on the London Underground billboards.
Joining the discourse, Sun columnist troll Katie Hopkins on Monday sided with Protein World, condemning the ‘chubsters’ who were complaining about the ad campaign.
On the other side of the fence, 60,144 signed a petition on Change.org calling for the London Underground to take down the ads, which the transport body has admitted will happen, although that could be down to the danger posed to those vandalising the posters.
A number of creative responses to the ad was developed by brands and protestors alike. Below is the vast majority of them.
This ad for Oxfam GB, submitted to One Minute Briefs subverted the whole body image debate.
One Minute Brief WINNER of our Protein World #BeachBodyReady Response Ads Campaign is the @mac_daddies There were some...
Posted by One Minute Briefs on Wednesday, 29 April 2015
A fake ad which purporting to be from Dove did the rounds on social media.
Great response from Dove to the recent ProteinWorld ads #beachbodyready pic.twitter.com/yFTqN31OOE
— Andrew Bloch (@AndrewBloch) April 29, 2015
Carlsberg had an amusing 'Beer Body' activiation.
Are you beer body ready? Fantastic reactive campaign courtesy of @carlsberg @OMD_UK #DOOH #ifcarlsbergdid #probably pic.twitter.com/o17PTmu3xd
— Talon (@TalonOOH) April 30, 2015Dove did however tweet out support its belief everyone is #BeachBodyReady
@LydiaTaylor80 Hi Lydia, it wasn't our image Lydia - someone mocked it up and used our logo. However #EveryBodyIsBeachBodyReady in our eyes.
— Dove UK & Ireland (@DoveUK) April 28, 2015
Paddy power on the other hand added a bit of Milifandom into the mix.
Christ, this Protein World advertising saga drags on and on… pic.twitter.com/1le8E1BVXO
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) April 29, 2015
A number of creative alterations were made to the ads on the London Underground too.
Damn. Someone beat me to it: Must find one that has yet to be improved #ProteinWorld cc @RossalynWarren pic.twitter.com/owYbDYvd4D
— Julia Macfarlane (@juliamacfarlane) April 28, 2015
so you know that sexist advert on the tube by @ProteinWorld? This is their *ACTUAL* response to it. pic.twitter.com/G8OoBk0wM3
— Rossalyn Warren (@RossalynWarren) April 24, 2015
We love London. Fuck patriarchy. pic.twitter.com/bDeET7pzdO
— The Vagenda Team (@VagendaMagazine) April 22, 2015
@VagendaMagazine @GidsG also these ones! pic.twitter.com/NnYJmCVx7u
— Ella Sackville Adjei (@ellaisahoot) April 22, 2015
I committed an act of civil disobedience last week and it felt glorious @VagendaMagazine @EverydaySexism pic.twitter.com/4jl8vbnulU
— Miranda Fay (@mirandafay) April 22, 2015
@VagendaMagazine @cait_gc I went one further: pic.twitter.com/oFGuhxuJy6
— Nicole (@NicoleBurstein) April 24, 2015
And I saw a defaced 'Beach Body' ad in the wild! #eachbodysready pic.twitter.com/ZhwPxZ4tW1
— Nia (@stonecypher) April 26, 2015
From #GamerGate with love :3 #eachbodysready pic.twitter.com/fNF3UlDzhF
— 0komi (@0komi) April 25, 2015
NEW CAMPAIGN! Beach Body Shutdown - hijack ads that sap your body confidence #eachbodysready https://t.co/fBw9ODItg1 pic.twitter.com/YH2cnpN5KA
— Do Something UK (@DoSomethingUK) April 24, 2015
New post guys: #eachbodysready check it out: http://t.co/z5ryOBmniw Let me know thoughts! #lbloggers @FemaleBloggerRT pic.twitter.com/7ZF2D7LG83
— Harriet Atkinson (@xhattie123x) April 29, 2015
Still questioning why we did this? This should clear that up.. http://t.co/sNhT9bsg2d #eachbodysready #wearethey pic.twitter.com/GxHYJFPhZZ
— Tara Costello (@Catstello) April 24, 2015
Ouch, this campaign is taking a beating. + Facebook group #eachbodysready pic.twitter.com/Dfmu8QPXCj
— Marcomms Now (@Marcomms_Now) April 23, 2015
Yes! Taking back the tube one poster at a time. #EachBodysReady pic.twitter.com/UBYQKV9pdm
— Niamh Walsh (@NiamhAWalsh) April 29, 2015
I pulled down this poison from the tube. It's easy. You shoud too. #pullthemdown #eachbodysready pic.twitter.com/SJq88TZQLk
— Max Wakefield (@wakmax) April 26, 2015
Smart adaptation of sexist @ProteinWorld ad by @revoltmatt & petition here: http://t.co/aRC6lZrmSJ #eachbodysready pic.twitter.com/zGAVOexkfa
— Aisha (@AishaDod) April 23, 2015
#eachbodysready @guardiannews @jackthemusical @jessiemoncrieff @vaults @Ameena_Flamingo @lauriekynaston pic.twitter.com/MeliH0sJ08
— Blythe Pepino (@vaultsblythe) April 20, 2015
Ready when you are... @OneMinuteBriefs @SpeedoUK #BeachBodyReady #Advertising pic.twitter.com/jKWk2lJvRJ
— Jo (@jo_hopley) April 29, 2015