Victoria secret is one of the most widely known lingerie companies in the world, especially North America. It’s signature Victoria Secret fashion show is live streamed by millions every year. This advertisement that has been placed on their magazines, on their online shop, billboards and even buses, portrays the message that they have a style of bra for “everybody”, (eluding to presumed inclusion of women of all body types) however, ironically only display thin women wearing them. Victoria Secret’s portrays the notion to women of all ages, that “Every Body” really just means, variations of thin. This type of message can be detrimental to the values and beliefs that women have with respect to body image and self-esteem. This ad can be triggering and create false beliefs that in order to be sexy, or even to buy lingerie, your body should look like theirs. It’s no wonder that ads like these make women compare their bodies to these models in the photos and then feel embarrassed or feel a lack of confidence which can then contribute to psychological problems, image distortions, and even eating disorders. These highly sexualized models promoting lingerie throughout different media forms generates a large following because of their looks and ultimately because these are the women that other girls end up aspiring to look like. Ads like these sell the idea that in order to look sexy in lingerie, you should be one size; thin. There are no ads throughout any of Victoria Secret’s campaigns that promote or try to normalize all ranges of body sizes.

This advertisement makes women seem as if by wearing Victoria Secret clothing, you will receive more attention from other men due to the attention and level of attraction from males the Victoria Secret models receive. In fact, if you removed the “Victoria’s Secret” label from the advertisement, it would just be young, beautiful, thin, models that could be used for enjoyment for heterosexual men to look at. Victoria secret ads target both men and women as consumers, as men openly express their attraction to the lingerie company, women feel pressure from society as this preconceived notion that “sexy” means to be a thin, Victoria’s Secret model.

Culture Jamming is used to bring out political assumptions about things that are happening throughout society. It creates knowledge for individuals to better understand the imbalance there is between our modern culture and other human interests in the greater society.

Above, my jammed version of the ad, I deconstructed Victoria Secret’s original ad of selling lingerie for “Every Body.” I added the tagline “No Plus Sized Chicks Allowed” and “Just Kidding Sorry,” to depict the fact that they did not use women of all body sizes, and that lingerie really should be worn for thinner women if they too are wanting to look and feel “sexy” like the models in the advertisement. Majority of women in our society do not have a body like the ones shown in the photo, and this advertisement delivers the message to women that the ideal body you need to be attractive and sexy, are like the model’s bodies in the photos.

I added pictures of a hamburger as well as French fries with an X crossing them out to depict the message that in order to be this thin, food must be sacrificed and limited in order to get this sexy lingerie body. I also added the saying “let’s get it on” due to the fact that this advertisement is over-sexualized.

With the deconstruction of this advertisement, it shows how media exploits unrealistic body sizes to model off lingerie, and clothing in general. This jammed version of the ad, focuses on the over-sexualizing and the harsh unrealistic ideas that they place on women that creates an association of attractiveness with being skinny. This message then ultimately sends values to consumers that in order to buy lingerie and to be seen as attractive, they must first achieve this size of body.

Sydney Lowe

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