Victoria’s Secret’s ‘Perfect Body’ Ads Incite Protests

It seems like just yesterday Abercrombie & Fitch was riling up customers with its CEO’s views on plus-size fashion. Now another mega-retailer is under similar scrutiny for potentially body-unfriendly marketing: Victoria’s Secret, which a U.K. petition says sets unfair standards for a “perfect body.”

British students Frances Black, Gabriella Kountourides and Laura Ferris started a Change.org petition in response to ads in Victoria’s Secret stores and online that portrayed the line’s models wearing its “Body by Victoria” underwear line under the tagline “The Perfect ‘Body.’” The students say such marketing is damaging and promotes body image issues in women.

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“We would like Victoria’s Secret to change the wording on their advertisements for their bra range Body to something that does not promote unhealthy and unrealistic standards of beauty, as well as pledge to not use such harmful marketing in the future,” the women write in their petition. “Victoria’s Secret’s new advertisements play on women’s insecurities, and send out a damaging message by positioning the words ‘The Perfect Body’ across models who have exactly the same, very slim body type.”

They have also started a hashtag campaign, #iamperfect, which is meant to show support for their cause as well as promote positive body image. And it’s picked up traction on social media, as well as on the petition itself, which was up to 4,000 signatures calling for an apology from the brand.

Do you agree with their message? Should Victoria’s Secret apologize? Weigh in below.

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