[attach id=259383 size="medium"]The advert, which offended many readers of the local magazine.[/attach]
An overweight, naked Eve lounges on the grass, while Adam is sitting some distance away with his back turned and pleading for help.
Beneath Eve are the words: “Nobody was born perfect... but we’ll help you get there.”
Transforma Cosmetic Clinic issued an apology yesterday following public outcry over this advert, which was slammed as “insensitive advertising”, “disgusting” and “shameful”.
The advert, carried in a local Sunday magazine, promoted the company’s cosmetic treatments.
Many took to social media to lambast the “sexist”, “offensive” and “unethical” advert.
“Not only is it extremely sexist, but it is also disseminating the idea that perfection (insinuated by this advert as being unlike this woman) can actually be achieved,” one woman wrote on Facebook.
By all means advertise slimming products, but telling people there’s something wrong with them is beneath contempt
“Thousands of girls (and boys too) die every year because they starve themselves to reach this so-called state of perfection,” she added.
“This is a shameful, sexist advert... by all means advertise slimming products or services, but telling people that there’s something wrong with them is beneath contempt,” another online commenter wrote.
Many described the model as “beautiful”, with some calling Adam’s plea for help extremely offensive and upsetting.
“It’s one thing to promote a healthy lifestyle that helps increase lifespan and decrease health risks, but it’s another to say, ‘Look, fat people are ugly! Come have lots of unnecessary surgery so that you can be ‘beautiful’!” one man wrote.
In a statement, Transforma said the advert was never intended to target eating, body weight, body image and/or thoughts about one’s self or insinuate that being skinny equals perfection.
“The way the advert was interpreted and viewed by many was not what the company wished to portray and put across at any time and the feedback received runs counter to Transforma’s values as a company and its standards of professionalism,” the company said.
“The thought behind the advert was to promote and extend the variety of services listed beneath the picture for men and women independently and not as a form of negative criticism in any way.”
The company said all future marketing concepts would be “analysed in extended detail in order to avoid a repeat misinterpretation”.