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Publicly humiliate her into joining your gym
Here's another entry for our public-shaming file: this bus-stop ad for a health club in the Netherlands. It has a scale in the seat and displays the sitter's weight for all to see. We're sure Fitness First is expecting a huge spike in membership from this, but the effect is ruined the moment two people share the seat. That and, you know, trying to win people's business by humiliating them. Agency: N=5. Via Gizmodo and Animal New York. |
Comments
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I live in New York. I've never seen that ad. It must be award show time.
Posted by: Mike | Mar 16, 2009 9:32:44 AM
It says in the post that the ad is for a health club in the Netherlands, so that's probably why you haven't seen it in NY.
Posted by: Claire | Mar 16, 2009 10:02:39 AM
The new bus stops here in NYC don't look like that, but that was a funny comment nonetheless.
Posted by: EGGO | Mar 16, 2009 10:10:56 AM
No no Claire,
All ad regional, national or international must be run in NYC otherwise they don't count.
It's in the rules somewhere, very small print.
Posted by: PJL | Mar 16, 2009 10:15:31 AM
@PJL: Right, right, what was I thinking?!
Posted by: Claire | Mar 16, 2009 10:33:10 AM
Thanks for this post. I'm an American expat currently living in the Netherlands... you wouldn't believe how far people will go with shame ads. I've never gotten used to the stark honesty (read: rudeness) that is culturally acceptable (read: mandatory) here. It's not unusual to see onlookers laugh openly at disabled persons, or anyone who has difficulty/is overweight. Staring openly, making audible comments - these are just part of life here. I would die of embarrassment from this ad; since I ride the bus daily, I'll have to watch out.
PS - the NYC thread running through these comments was very funny.
Posted by: Meg M | Mar 16, 2009 11:06:24 AM
ooh this is cool - I want to try this - too bad I'm not in the netherlands.
Posted by: Tanya Mur | Mar 16, 2009 3:43:19 PM
68?! I went to public school, so I'm not sure what system of measurement they use in the Netherlands, regardless-I want that one used in Chelsea.
Posted by: Mamma Rice | Mar 16, 2009 4:12:57 PM
that would be 68KG...metric is used everywhere BUT here.
As for the openness (read rudeness) in der nederland, yes it's bad. When I went there there were tons of tourist jokes and well there should N E V E R be a BILLBOARD for a BROTHEL called 1-800-vagina (I am not kidding)
Posted by: glenn | Mar 16, 2009 5:08:58 PM
Maybe it's just because I live in a different region of the Netherlands, but they're not nearly as rude as you describe here. Yeah, they are blunt but once you get used to it it's kind of refreshing. There's no agonizing over your wording to make sure no one is offended. People just know that they should not be offended so easily. Dutch people really don't take themselves too seriously so something like this scale in a bench isn't really shameful. I think it's America that's generally too sensitive.
I have never seen anyone here laugh at a disabled person. That's just cruel.
Posted by: JR | Mar 17, 2009 8:13:51 AM
Why would this woman care about the weight displayed? She has 10kg + of crap in her purse, so she ain't feeling heavy.
Posted by: Herbert | Mar 17, 2009 10:04:57 AM
This is a very interesting ad. would be interesting to know if it increased memberships. while it may humiliate a person(s), it definitely gets their mind completely concentrated on fitness and that gym's info is right there to see.
Posted by: KF | Apr 29, 2009 9:34:48 PM
