Advertisements used to be aspirational. They either still are and people's aspirations have changed, or they are not and there's some other more current explanation for why this ad and others act as a mirror showing a person who they already are (fat) rather than who they aspire to be (not fat).
Said another way, there's nothing explicitly stating that the woman has a goal of becoming thinner. She is shown as well as two other thinner people. They're all doing their own form of exercising while clothed in activewear. The implication could be that the fat woman's goal is to become less fat or that she is comfortable as she is and fits in as part of Team Gatorade™. I suspect the message they're trying to convey is the latter.
Are the fitness goals of the other 2 actors explicitly stated?
Should fitness products only advertise with actors who are ALREADY fit and maintaining that fitness?
What exactly are you expecting? How exactly do you want fat people to be portrayed in advertisements for fitness that allows them to attempt to get fit?
> Are the fitness goals of the other 2 actors explicitly stated?
No.
Reread my comment. I said nothing about how I expect fat people to be portrayed or what is right or wrong about this ad.
The one thing I suggested is that I believe Gatorade is attempting to create an ad that is welcoming toward fat people regardless of their goals. At least, that is my interpretation given in the current year. Further evidence of my interpretation is that fat people were not shown in Gatorade ads several decades ago, e.g.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6xcLDKCzh4
Comparing the ad from the 90s to now shows that the older ad was aspirational. I'm sorry if that makes you upset, I did not create the Gatorade ad. I only interpreted it.
I think what’s strange about this ad is the fact that she’s doing a handstand. That isn’t a normal part of getting fit for most people, and it isn’t even safe to attempt by most people in the model’s weight range. Had they shown her using a stationary bike or taking a brisk walk in a park, it wouldn’t be controversial.
