LatinWorks

This is work done for the Active Life Movement; the copy says, "Keep obesity away from your child."

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this ad; I think LatinWorks definitely took a risk in making a bold statement about the dangers of obesity, but I also feel bad that the images could definitely be interpreted as offensive. The ads obviously show the unnaturalness of being that over-weight, but the irony is that the role models in children's toys like Barbie or action figures portray an equally unnatural physicality. It's fairly common knowledge that Barbie's measurements are anatomically impossible, which is why I am a little confused that LatinWorks chose to use a very similar character in one of their ads. It almost suggests that Barbie is what is normal because it would seem ridiculous to buy your daughter a fat Barbie or to see toys manufactured in fatter form. I know that is not the intention of the ad, and I like that the image is immediately captivating, both in its originality and subtle shock.

Obesity itself is an odd and difficult issue to tackle because it is now considered an epidemic and cultural crisis, but it is one "disease" that most people have complete control over. Granted, obesity in children is often the result of learned habits from parents, but in general, people have much more control over their weight than their blood make-up or organ condition. I suppose there is no way to advertise the dangers of obesity without offending someone, thus proving the difficulty in this kind of ad. All in all, I think LatinWorks created a very unique ad and integrated the element of children and protection in an artistic way, but I think they presented a faulty argument by using images reflective of Barbie and action figures whose physical appearances can cause equally negative body image problems among youth.