Most often than not, it is usually universally acknowledged that most people tend to draw self-confidence from body positivity. Body positivity not only refers to appreciating one’s body and how it looks in terms of appearance but also loving it and gaining self-confidence (Pascual, 2021). Unlike in the olden days, body positivity is highly regarded in the current day world. It has finally dawned on most people that they appreciate all body shapes and sizes just as they do more good than harm. If anything, it helps in boosting one’s self-esteem immensely. The #BOPO movement is supposed to help individuals rise above the societal standards of an ideal body shape or body size (Mull, 2018). However, some countries heard about the #BOPO movement and counted themselves lucky for having captured a marketing niche. Unfortunately, most organizations support the #BOPO movement not because they genuinely want to but because they end up making some good dough in the long run. Organizations need to care more about the extent of using false advertisements and even photoshopping in their advertisements to attract more customers and publicly make a good impression for themselves in the public eye. In addition, organizations are also opting for an inclusive environment, yet all they advocate for and talk about is ways of attaining specific body shapes or sizes. For example, the average walk-in movement required every woman to be at least of average size (Mull, 2018). Most of these firms aim to fix individuals instead of embracing them as they are. Sadly, most companies have been consumed by greed and selfishness, and this diminishes the authentic intention of the body positivity movement. Notably, cancel culture, and social media power come in handy in exposing such organizations. America ironically supports body positivity because it is a marketing ploy for consumerism, evidenced by companies using false advertisements, creating “fixing” products, and featuring non-inclusive environments.
False advertising is a form of deception; some branding companies tend to include all-sized women in their adverts, yet when one buys the products, they only have the products for a specific body size (Rebekah, 2021). This indicates that their intention to be perceived as inclusive of #bopo is a money grab scheme. Deception does not only have to be someone telling a lie necessarily. For example, most companies mostly photoshop for the plus size women so they can add them to their adverts. Rewire (2019) highlighted that the clothing brand Everlane is an example of a brand that included a plus size lady in their advert, yet they did not have any plus size attire. This indicates that the brands are just using body positivity movements to increase prospective market size and profits. However, economics may argue that false advertising may benefit the firms since they attract more customers but at the customers’ expense since they will be misled and violate the marketing regulations that may have been set (Pascual, 2021). Critics may say that false advertising is a good tactic. This is because it gives the brand a competitive advantage over other brands or firms and proves that the products are better and more diverse since they are for all-sized women. They are cognizant that focusing on unique-sized clothes would bring more profit to the brand, so they opt to deceive customers about having these clothes (Rewire, 2019). However, this is not true because false advertising is illegal, and all brands in operation must embrace transparency in their advertisements. Additionally, false advertising could lead a brand to spend so much on lawsuits since it violates the FCT Act, which is against any deceptive advertising (Justia, 2022). Violating any federal laws could mean even seizure of operation for a brand or even bankruptcy as the brands wallow in debt trying to settle the lawsuits. According to Pascual (2021), the brands involved in false advertising may go to the extent of using ambiguous words to mislead the customers and, at the same time, keep the legalese out of their way by claiming they aim at executing the idea in the long run and inclusivity is just but a step of starting their journey of one thousand steps.
Firms have themes for their products that revolve around enhancing the beauty and making one look more span in their products (Rewire, 2019). Most companies, if not all, make their production and sales aiming to make the people purchasing their products look better and more attractive. Dove is an example of a brand producing goods that aim at fixing its customers. According to Rewire (2019), the idea that the brands are supposed to be fixing someone and making them look better than they are is a clear indicator that they do not appreciate and embrace people just as they are. For example, Dolce and Gabbana manufacture and sell waist trainer corsets to make people with bigger tummies reduce them so they can look a certain way (Dolce & Gabbana, 2022). This brand is still fixated on the cliché ideal body type standards set by society, which should be long gone by now. Despite “fixing” products to help people feel and look more attractive, their self-confidence is dented since they do not appreciate themselves for how they look. They also give people false notions about their appearances (Mull, 2018). These products make the users mask behind them, deceiving themselves and everyone else about their appearance. Padded shapewear manufacturers such as Rago are another example which aims at helping petite people enhance themselves and look more prominent. Critics may argue that fixing products are indeed the best. They may say so because these products give them a different appearance, attract more people towards them since they look better, and make them feel more confident. Fixing products is, however, not the best. This is because they not only take away someone’s self-esteem but also deceive people about one’s appearance (Mull, 2018). Additionally, Mull (2018) highlighted that ‘fixing products’ affect how an individual perceives themselves, the art of self-love and appreciation is killed, and the confidence is usually short-lived (Mull, 2018). Lastly, people get attracted to what they see and what is the essence if they are attracted to something that is falsified, artificial and temporary?
The appearance usually dictates the ambience of a retail brand store, the kind of conversations being held, and how welcoming the people are towards the customers. (Rewire, 2019). Cat Polivoda mentioned that most plus-size people do not feel welcomed when they walk into most retail shops only to find that the dominant conversations by the employees encompass zero diet, weight loss talks, or even muscle-building protein concepts (Rewire, 2019). This makes customers feel they need to be more appreciated since they may not fit the body types described. Some customers may be suffering from disorders that influence their body sizes. Granted, opposing views may argue that such conversations could be beneficial. They claim they can get tips on what to work on or do to achieve a particular body shape. In addition, they say such conversation may make one feel embarrassed about their body and decide to do workouts to help them lose some weight. However, this may be different. This is because such talks can lead an individual to feel lesser about themselves and shying away hence opting for isolation so they do not end up in stores that make them feel that way about themselves (Mitu, 2017). Additionally, one could overhear about a particular remedy and decide to use it without researching further and then it ends up ineffective on them. This could even lead to severe health conditions as well as devastation. Organizations must have an inclusive environment. A pertinent example is how Nike Inc. Company puts effort into training its employees on how to handle customers and what type of conversations to engage in. everyone loves and appreciates an environment that makes them feel welcome; therefore, every brand should try to make their environment as welcoming as possible.
In conclusion, body positivity deserves to be handled with as much seriousness as other movements and brands should supportively embrace it instead of focusing on the gains they can make by pretending to be supporting the movement. Despite the U.S being a marketing ploy for consumerism, there is hope for it to truly embrace body positivity someday, especially with the rate at which things are evolving and the pressure of social media. The numbers of movements supporting body positivity keep surging, and that way, it is likely that they will influence brands to embrace body positivity authentically. Everyone should contribute towards seeing that body positivity is truly embraced since we all do not want society setting specific body standards for us or walking to a store only to lack clothes that suit our body sizes. No one also wants to incur extra expenses trying to have clothes they bought fixed so they can fit them. Brands should also take body positivity seriously to avoid being called for failing to deliver on body positivity when marketing. The aerie lingerie brand has been one of the brands that have significantly thrived from embracing body positivity by using unphotoshopped women of different body types, sizes and shapes in their advertisements. Victoria’s Secret, on the other hand, is an example that received backlash for disregarding the idea of holding a plus-size fashion show or availing of more inclusive sizes. Brands should take these two examples and make better choices regarding inclusivity.
References
Rebekah Jess. “The Impact of the Body Positive Movement on the Fashion Industry.” Apparel Resources, 3 Apr. 2021, https://apparelresources.com/fashion-news/innovation/impact-body-positive-movement-fashion-industry/.
Pascual, Katrina. “Body Positivity and Inclusivity in Marketing Campaigns.” Penji, 9 Sept. 2021, https://penji.co/body-positivity-marketing/
Mitu’ Accelerator Program. “For All the Proud Nalgonas <3.” Facebook, 27 Aug, 2017. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1886370928281605. Accessed 4 Dec. 2022.
Bisht, Samriddhi, et al. “Body Positivity Campaigns That Encouraged Going beyond Superficial Body Standards.” Social Samosa, 28 Dec. 2021, https://www.socialsamosa.com/2021/07/body-positivity-campaigns-india/.
Russo, Gianluca. “Why Do not ‘Size-Inclusive’ Brands Carry plus Sizes in Stores?” Why Do not Size-Inclusive Stores Carry Plus Sizes IRL? https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2022/03/10874398/plus-size-in-store-shopping-brands.
Mull, Amanda. “Body Positivity Is a Scam.” Vox, Vox, 5 June 2018, https://www.vox.com/2018/6/5/17236212/body-positivity-scam-dove-campaign-ads.
Rewire. “What’s Retail’s Role in Body Positivity?” Rewire, 6 Mar. 2019, https://www.rewire.org/retails-role-body-positivity/.
Dolce & Gabbana online store; Clothing for men & women 2022 WWW.DOLCEGABBANA.COM. Available at: https://www.dolcegabbana.com/en/ (Accessed: December 4, 2022).
Justia. False advertising under Consumer Protection Laws (2022) Available at: https://www.justia.com/consumer/deceptive-practices-and-fraud/false-advertising/#:~:text=Regulations%20of%20False%20Advertising,laws%20on%20behalf%20of%20consumers. (Accessed: December 4, 2022).
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