Are You Beach Body Ready?

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Taking a closer look at Protein World’s controversial ad campaign, ‘Are you Beach Body Ready’.

Imagine this…

After a hard day at your 9 to 5, you are sitting at the train station, weary eyed, anticipating the moment you can finally go home, pop a frozen pizza in the oven, and relax on the couch.

Whilst waiting for your train, you take a moment to look at the new advertisement plastered on the wall. The bright yellow sign, featuring a bikini-clad model, asks “Are you Beach Body Ready?”.

Comparing yourself to the body depicted in the image, you are inflicted with an intense feeling of shame, guilt and inferiority. However, you don’t feel compelled to buy the weight-loss product advertised, rather, you are angry- and you’re not alone.

(Protein World 2015)

After months of outrage, protests and defacing, posters advertising Protein World’s meal replacement supplements were finally removed from train stations across London.

Why was this Advertisement so Controversial? A Semiotic Analysis

In BCM110 this week, as part of the topic ‘Representation and Interpretation’, we were introduced to the concept of semiotics (the science of signs), the encoding and decoding model, and how audiences interpret media images.

Denotation (Signifier) and Connotation (Signified)

Denotation

“Denotation’ tends to be described as the definitional, ‘literal’, ‘obvious’ or ‘commonsense’ meaning of a sign.”

(Chandler 2019)

When looking at the advertisement in a literal sense, we can see a caucasian, slim female wearing a yellow string bikini, with bold text asking: “Are you Bikini Body Ready?”. Paying closer attention to the image, we can also see pictures of Protein World’s weight loss supplements, as well as the small text: “Substituting two daily meals of an energy restricted diet with a meal replacement, contributes to weight loss”.

Connotation

“The term ‘connotation’ is used to refer to the socio-cultural and ‘personal’ associations (ideological, emotional etc.) of the sign. These are typically related to the interpreter’s class, age, gender, ethnicity and so on.”

(Chandler 2019)

When viewing this advertisement, I interpret it as a personal attack on my body image. Basically, if my body does not meet the unrealistic standard portrayed by the model in the image, I am not “beach body ready”. The ad is implying that, by purchasing their product and subsequently losing weight, you will be able to achieve a body that is socially accepted at the beach in a bikini.

Decoding and Encoding

Diagram representing Stuart Hall’s Encoding and Decoding Model (1973)
(Media Studies 2020)

Applying the Encoding/Decoding Model to Protein World’s Advertisement

Encoding – The production of the messageDecoding– How the audience makes sense of the message (using the 3 lenses)
It is obvious that Protein World’s intention was to encourage consumers to purchase their weight-loss supplements as a means of achieving a desirable, ‘beach body’. Dominant – Purchasing and using the product will result in weight-loss, which will subsequently allow you to achieve the western standards of beauty (slim, toned and bronze). Without the use of this product, you are not (nor will you be) ‘beach body ready’.

Negotiated – Purchasing this product as a means of aiding weight-loss may allow you to feel more confident in beach attire, however, there is no specific body type/size that is ‘beach body ready’.

Resistant (perhaps the most common reading in this case) – There is no such thing as being ‘beach body ready’ – the standards of beauty are a social construct which is damaging to society. This advertisement is body-shaming everyone who does not have the same unrealistic body type as the model portrayed.

It is important to note that individual interpretations of the image are subject to personal ideological positions, and will vary person-to-person.

Based off my research, it is my understanding that a majority of the viewers of this image were unsupportive of how Protein World advertised their product, and protests to remove the potentially damaging posters consequently sparked a worldwide body-positivity movement.

(Longmuir 2015)

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