-----Original Message-----
From: Buffie S. [mailto:Buffie's Email @ xxx.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 1:41 PM
To:
[email protected]
Subject: Regarding Your Radio Ad Airing on Clear Channel and XM
Importance: High
Please forward the following message to the appropriate personnel in your advertising/marketing or communications department. Thank you.
Good Afternoon,
My company is affiliated with XM Radio and it is my understanding that XM broadcasts a few Clear Channel stations. Recently, while listening to XM, I heard an ad for "The Every Other Day Diet" on a Clear Channel station. I have contacted both XM and Clear Channel regarding this ad and am now attempting to contact someone at the company responsible for the ad itself.
Being unfamiliar with laws governing communication, broadcast and advertising, I assume Clear Channel and XM are neither liable nor responsible for the content of the ads they air. I am sure that the intent of Clear Channel and XM is never to purposely offend or alienate listeners, but an ad for "The Every Other Day Diet" has done both to me.
The beginning of the spot is a child's voice saying something to the effect of "Being fat doesn't just hurt you, it hurts the people around you, too." This sort of rubbish is typical of fad-diet ads. But when the child's voice goes on to say his or her "mommy is crying in the closet because her clothes don't fit" I started to become annoyed. After the ad referred to "ugly fat" for the 3rd time, I was angry and decided to let XM and Clear Channel know about it.
To put it bluntly, I am a fat person. I do not now nor have I ever considered myself "ugly". The fact that this ad strongly implies that I am some hideous beast because I am large is upsetting. Most diet ads do suggest that being big is unattractive and while I disagree with it, I can understand why they would employ such a tactic for selling their product.
"The Every Other Day Diet" ad is the first one I have personally heard which stooped to a level so incredibly low. Aside from the obnoxious premise, the "ugly fat" phrase being repeated over and over was truly offensive and most unnecessary.
Certainly there are many other Clear Channel and XM listeners like me who are big. Some of them may hate it and feel they are ugly, still I am confident in assuming that a great deal of them share my philosophy. Big people are simply big people. Regardless of how big and regardless of health, they are absolutely worthy of the same respect and consideration as smaller people.
"The Every Other Day Diet" has no excuse for peddling their product in such a hateful fashion and no 'health' argument is going to sway me into believing that I'm "ugly" at any size. In fact, all the ad has done is convince me that its an inferior company hawking a useless placebo and false hopes.
***Why would anyone ever purchase a product from any company that referred to them as "ugly"? Even if I were interested in losing weight, I would never consider the "Every Other Day Diet" based purely on the fact that the ad is so insulting. What result did they expect by calling their target market "ugly"? Never will I give my money or business to a company which has zero respect for me as a person and a consumer.***
It may not be the popular opinion to think that big is beautiful, but the fact is that there are thousands of people of all sizes who appreciate or even admire those of us who are large. There are even activist groups who are doing what they can to promote respect and tolerance of big people. As evidenced by the ad in question, there is an unfortunate lack of open-mindedness and acceptance toward people of size. No matter how you feel about large people (whether your dislike their appearance or have 'concern' for their health), if you want to sell a product to them, the LAST thing you should do is insult them.
My suggestion to this company is to revise the current ad. I realize there is administrative or contractual red tape involved, but I think my request has solid merit and I believe a revision would be beneficial to Clear Channel and XM in the form of fewer upset listeners; and beneficial to the manufacturer of "The Every Other Day Diet" in the form of more people who will buy the product instead of choosing a competitor's offering whose ad wasn't so offensive.
Just out of curiosity, does "The Every Other Day Diet" manufacturer hire people of size as employees? If so, are they told upon hiring that they are "ugly" and that their "ugly fat" is hurting them as well as the people around them?
I have already spoken with XXX XXX of XM and have contacted XXX XXX of Clear Channel, however I wanted to pass this message along to "The Every Other Day Diet" company personally.
Hopefully the ad was due to a simple error in judgment and not borne out of disdain for the very people upon whom the company desires to turn a profit. For the latter is akin to biting the hand that feeds it, no?
Thank you very kindly for your consideration. I sincerely appreciate your attention to this matter and any efforts you make toward resolving the problem.
My contact information is listed below. Please let me know if you have any questions or require additional information.
Best Regards,
Buffie S.
My Employer's Name Here
Home of XXX XXX on XM's Channel ###
###-###-#### Ext. ###
Buffie's Email @ xxx.com
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