[teakettle42]

I visited an indoor mall recently, in an area with some of the whitest demographics in the nation, but also (since I know the stereotypes about fat Americans) the healthiest.

Almost without exception, the models depicted in the store window ads were obese women of color. Even for athletic wear.

Whatever weird fetishism the marketing world has going on now, it’s absolutely not representative relative to local demographics, nor nation-wide demographics.

[ajross]

> Almost without exception, the models depicted in the store window ads were obese women of color.

Obviously I can't speak to whatever local ads you saw, but I don't believe the "almost without exception" for an instant. Here's the front page of Forever 21, sort of a reasonable approximation to an "indoor mall" environment: https://www.forever21.com/

Out of 55 models with faces that I see, 27 are white (or at least plausibly white-presenting, obviously there's some ambiguity here as there always is with any kind of ethnic definition).

So... 50% almost exactly. A bit lower than the population at large (though probably much closer to the younger/urban target market). Hardly a lack of representation, which is what you claim to be seeing. But my guess is that absent these numbers, you'd look at that page and think "almost without exception..." right?

[b65e8bee43c2ed0]

>Here's the front page of Forever 21, sort of a reasonable approximation to an "indoor mall" environment: https://www.forever21.com/

sort of, but not quite

even in my 99% indigenous European country, I'm seeing the same trend with the fancy brand ads in our malls - 50/50 or so with women models, 90% with men

I do realize of course the reason is that nobody bothers localizing these ads for our tiny market, but still, these ads don't reflect the demographics of the largest market either

it doesn't bother me though. if anything, not being the target demographic for 500$ shoes made by SEA child slaves is a badge of honor

[teakettle42]

No, that looks relatively representative to me, modulo minor variance, and even the “plus sized” models aren’t on the extreme end of obesity.

I’m even impressed that there’s asian representation; they’re generally grossly under-represented.

(Also, I feel like I’ve been trolled into looking at Forever 21’s website).

You don’t have to believe me, but I’m also not going to go through the mall recording exactly what percentage of stores featured extremely obese women of color as their front-and-center spokesmodel.