Sportswear giant Asics is in strife after it enlisted overly thin models to star in a new social media campaign to promote its active wear.
The campaign appeared in the UK and used runway models from London’s famed Elite agency.
However, the images were quickly called out as being “stick thin”, “prepubescent” and “how are they role models for active living?”
Journalist Natalie Morris led the fury, using a column in London’s Metro to label the “tone deaf” campaign as a “monumental step back for women’s sports”.
“We are meant to be right in the midst of the rise of women’s sport, equal representation and body positivity,” Morris wrote, “so Asics’ decision to feature thin models as their new faces of fitness is baffling, and shows just how far we still have to go.
“Every time a company strays into these boringly misogynistic tropes, the public reaction gets swifter and more damning. We are less and less willing to swallow this bullshit, and if brands want to keep women on side they really need to start listening to what we want and promoting positive, inclusive imagery.”
And Morris wasn’t alone in her condemnation. Check out some of the social media rage below:
