Article: Lovable lingerie firm cops a serve over Jennifer Hawkins campaign

Community speaks out against Lovable body image hypocrisy

Thanks everyone for your involvement with writing to Lovable and posting comments on Collective Shout and Melinda Tankard Reist's blog. We have raised a 'Collective Shout' against the sexual objectification of women and girls and have spoken against Lovable's body image hypocrisy. Today in the Herald Sun:

LOVABLE lingerie company has come under fire for using thin Jennifer Hawkins in a sexy campaign, while professing to help women combat poor body image.

The Australian underwear company says it is "dedicated to changing the culture surrounding eating disorders and body image" and wants to reverse "the influence of celebrity and model culture".

And yet it is using the former Miss Universe extensively in its advertising.

The company is donating a quarter of online sales profits this month to The Butterfly Foundation, a body image issues and eating disorders support centre.

Women's issues campaigner Melinda Tankard Reist, who first raised the issue on her website, said the company was hypocritical in its approach.

In a post on the issue she attacks the company for displaying "double standards around claiming to boost self-esteem in women and supporting positive body image, while acting in ways that undermine these messages".

"It seems to me companies like Lovable are happy to spruik a 'love your bodies, we're all beautiful' positive self-esteem message, while not doing all that much," she said.

"It has become an empty mantra."

Diane Taylor, group brand marketing manager for Lovable's parent company Gazal, said "what women looked like was not important, but how they felt on the inside".

She defended the Butterfly Foundation deal and said the company hoped to raise more than $10,000 this month for the charity.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of comments posted on the Herald Sun that completely miss the point. It would be great to see some of the comments our supporters posted on Collective Shout, also posted on the Herald Sun article. You can do so here.

Background reading:

Everybody's Lovable: Especially if thin, sexy and covered in ice cream

"This ad tears at my self esteem": Lovable, please read this

"You are communicating to me a completely unrealistic view of women": a man takes on Lovable