Weight-loss company withdraws controversial ad

The two-minute ad is claimed to be based on a real life story, showing the overweight woman being fired by her boss because of her looks. She then becomes depressed, quarrels with her husband, is admitted into hospital with high blood pressure; and attempts to commit suicide.

It suggests that her struggle at work, personal and love life is related to her weight issues, and that her life was totally transformed after she slimmed down.

The controversial ad was aired on TV and online. The video, uploaded on YouTube on 23 August, had received more ‘dislikes’ than ‘likes’, and more negative comments than positive ones, before it was removed.

A netizen downloaded the ad earlier and shared it on a website.

London Weight Management's Wikipedia page was deleted yesterday, 29 September.

An industry observer said while the ad didn’t violate any law, London Weight Management should practice self-censorship, as it was aired on television under the general category.

“Instead of just sharing what they claimed was a real life story, obviously their intention was far more than that. It encourages a society that worships physical beauty, and many people find it very offensive. This is very bad for the brand’s image,” he added.

TV host Anita Kapoor published an open letter to London Weight Management on her blog last Friday with the lead 'You have insulted all women, everywhere'.

Describing the ads as irresponsible, vile and atrocious advertising, she said the company and “all who supported you to produce it, have colluded to portray women as pathetic, unworthy individuals. Losers on every level if they are overweight; winners at every level if they are slim.”

“But you wrote the story, it’s based on an apparent real life client, and your company logo is all over the ad, which means you own the rights to this advertisement,” she added.

London Weight Management earlier defended the ad, saying that it was not discriminatory and did not breach any regulation in accordance with local regulations, and that it was approved by the relevant authority. Its reference to the Media Development Authority has since been retracted.

Netizens have complained that the TVC is discriminatory toward overweight women and of poor taste, while some men even said it insulted them as it implied that men couldn’t see beyond the external.

On The Asian Parent Singapore edition website, Diane Heng said in a forum about London Weight Management that the ad is an absolute insult to women and men.

“The message that when a woman is overweight, her husband is rude and unkind and then he becomes kind and sweet after she loses weight is irresponsible and quite sick making! Would you want your daughter exposed to such an advertisement?” she noted.

On theonlinecitizen.com, a netizen Sybilrian said that in fact London Weight Management has succeeded in their objective, whether the ad is a trash ad or a reality ad, “they got people to notice them, they got people to talk about their ad. Bad publicity is still publicity.”

But some netizens say overweight people should not be bothered and offended by the ad as long as they feel happy about themselves.

A netizen, meanwhile, said overweight people like to boost themselves and “they deserved such a cruel advertisement”.

Nick, on theonlinecitizen.com, said, “I am a man and I am truly disgusted and appalled by the TVC by London Weight Management.”

“I was surprised by the authorities allowing such TVC. In this case we might as well allow ads of sexual nature. Everybody makes money and we can throw social morality, respect for women, mothers, sisters, spouses, girlfriends out the window and be prepared for a rise in ‘BIG’ women battering as the TVC message encourages,” he added.