[Valid Atom 1.0] Life With Cake: Eating Disorder Blog: Diet Pepsi 'Skinny' Can is Canned by Eating Disorder Activists

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Diet Pepsi 'Skinny' Can is Canned by Eating Disorder Activists


Pepsi advertisers are in a big fat mess. The new skinny can that is launching just in time for New York's Fashion Week -- as well as National Eating Disorders Awareness Week -- has ED activists on fire, shaming Pepsi for promoting anything skinny.

Lynn Grefe, President and CEO of NEDA commented on the situation:

"It is painful that a major fortune 500 company needs to denigrate the majority of women in this country to sell their products. Most women are not skinny, nor should we encourage them to be anything but their own personal healthy size. The focus should be on health. All women – whatever their body type – should be sassy and confident in their individuality and their beauty. Pepsi should be ashamed for declaring that skinny is to be celebrated. The many millions suffering from eating disorders in this country would disagree."

"PepsiCo’s comments are both thoughtless and irresponsible," Grefe continued. “Their shameful misdirection is further exemplified by tying the launch of this offensive marketing campaign to Fashion Week, where women’s body types are atypical at best … and unhealthy as to be fatal at worst."

While I think it is wrong for advertisers to keep subliminally hammering the thin ideal into our minds -- especially the minds of impressionable children and adolescents -- the reality is that our culture values thinness. It is just one of many triggers in the world to encourage and perpetuate eating disorders.

I'm wondering ... will Pepsi come out with a 'fat' can for regular pepsi, to promote weight gain, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease from drinking all-sugar beverages? My guess is a big, fat NO.

While Pepsi execs assert that the new can is to celebrate confident women, Jill Beraud, the company's chief marketing officer, stated, "Our slim, attractive new can is the perfect complement to today’s most stylish looks." Once again the message is clear: Thin and attractive equals confidence and self-love. While I know that the opposite doesn't promote confidence and self-love, can't we find a media middle ground???

9 comments:

Not Just Another Jennifer said...

Such good points! I know they have to back their campaign up (they've already packaged the product and will need to keep it that way to sell it or lose a lot of money!) but I can't believe they don't see how they are saying "slim" = "attractive" and that there's nothing wrong with that? Beauty comes in all sizes. Crazy.

D. said...

Hi, just wanted to say I love your blog. I've just started recovery and now I keep a recovery blog: http://www.princesss-d.blogspot.com.

I love the cupcake pics :). They're so Healthspiring :P, I think I'm gonna have a cupcake now (I love being able to do that!)

EMR said...

This is ridiculous that fashion and style is kept above all good health factors.This should be stopped as it is influencing the young generations also.

Harlow B said...

instead of the skinny can being banned I wish pepsi was banned, it's so terribly bad for you.

Just stumbled across your blog and am making my way through it.

~ Harlow

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Victoria T. said...

Some people may think that there is nothing wrong with Pepsi changing their packaging but that itself; is the scary thought. The underlying tones behind people wanting to be seen carrying a "skinny" Pepsi vs a regular one; as skinny is cool, confident is just bullshit!

PS/ Forever 21's The SKINNY blog jumps straight into my mind when I saw this. The fact that they would name their blog that of all names; and the fact that millions of girls are flocking to that site; is insane.

Have stumbled across your blog while looking for some blogs on bulimia and I'm glad I found yours! You are really inspiring! xx

Anonymous said...

love your blog ! your a voice that can reach people around the world (hello from south east asia!) who have no one to relate to about ED issues, modern culture's destructive attitudes towards women, our appearance, our bodies, and the existence of an invisible patriarchal maze playing mind games with their tricks and smoky mirrors. its sickening. it has been especially hard being in this part of the world where counselors/therapists r completely sexist n only want to send you on your way with anti-depressants. your blog relates to me in so many ways, as i go through the same things everyday also. thanks. keep it up !

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shah wharton said...

Hi - I have a relevant guest post regarding eating disorders and children. Wondered if you'd like to take a look?

http://wordsinsync.blogspot.com/2011/03/could-your-eating-disorder-affect-your.html

I also do Monday Madness - a blog linky for mental health bloggers every week, and Awareness day on Wednesdays. Hope to see you over at wordsinsync soon - OH - For those who participate in the linky's I offer the chance of a feature on Thursdays too. Shah .X