Coca Cola's 'pin-up' ads criticized as sexist, sending dangerous message

A racy marketing campaign from Coca Cola for the company's new milk product has been getting some negative attention in Newfoundland and Labrador, with one group calling it sexist.

Fairlife is the newest product from Coca Cola. The company says the product is natural and healthy, but some people are questioning the marketing tactics.

The campaign showed women wearing nothing but milk, with some phrasing suggesting if you drink the product, you'll look good.

While the company has decided to abandon the campaign, some say it never should have launched in the first place.

Large companies such as Coca Cola, should probably be taking a more social responsible approach to these sorts of things and portraying proper body image in their advertising.- Paul Thomey

Victoria Jones, executive director with Western Regional Coalition to end Violence, said she worries about the message being sent by the images.

"They're disgusting. They're disturbing, and I really fear for the message it's sending to families to young people in particular," she said.

"It's a woman ironing, it's a woman on a weight scale, it's preying on our insecurities and it's also supporting this traditional image of a woman which perpetuates inequality, perpetuates violence against women. It's horrible."

'Impacting self esteem'

Paul Thomey, executive director of Eating Disorder Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, said for people struggling with body image issues, the ad campaign sends a potentially dangerous message.

"On one level they're disgusting because they're sexist and portraying women in a demeaning manor, but also because they're impacting the self esteem of people," said Thomey.

"We're also hearing that companies, large companies such as Coca Cola, should probably be taking a more social responsible approach to these sorts of things and portraying proper body image in their advertising."

Thomey said people have died in this province as a result of eating disorders, and for anyone struggling with the illness, seeing this image could put them over the edge.

"People gauge themselves based on being a particular weight and measuring body mass, and we don't look at things that way. We think the relationship has to be about your own personal health. There's no particular perfect body weight. It's what makes you healthy and well."

After backlash on social media, the company decided to abandon the racy campaign.

"The 'pin-ups' advertising may have been eye-catching, but we're taking a totally new approach," a message on the company's website read.