New marketing strategies by pharmaceutical companies, including Ozempic and Wegovy, aimed at promoting weight-loss drugs through plus-size influencers, have led to backlash within the body positivity community. Virgie Tovar, an activist advocating for body acceptance, highlighted the issue after receiving numerous promotional emails. These marketing companies include Valhalla Vitality, Toma Skin Therapies, and The Hills Beauty Experience.
Industry-wide marketing strategies have tapped into the reach of plus-size influencers to promote injectable weight-loss drugs, creating divisiveness within the body positivity communities. Novo Nordisk, the maker of Wegovy and Ozempic, has developed campaigns that target body positive communities while WeightWatchers has launched a new initiative, WeightWatchers Clinic, focussing on injectable weight-loss drugs, promoted via influencers.
Some influencers have openly expressed their unwillingness to partner with these weight-loss drug companies, with Jessie Diaz-Herrera, a plus-size certified fitness instructor, stating that the promotions indicate a fall into diet culture. Kara Richardson Whitely, CEO of GORGEous Agency, seconded the sentiment, acknowledging that the business model is incongruous with the mission of body acceptance.
WeightWatchers has made inroads into these marketing strategies by acquiring telehealth company Sequence, which allows users easier access to drugs such as semaglutides (GLP-1 drugs) Ozempic and Wegovy. They have been partnering with influencers to promote the WW Clinic, an initiative that connects users with injectable drugs for weight loss. They took influencers to a hotel in Los Angeles for an event called the ‘GLP1 House’ where they created content promoting the drugs.
However, not all influencers are in agreement with these promotional tactics. Ragen Chastain, a fat-positive writer, speaker, and researcher, cautioned about the potential harm of having influencers promote pharmaceuticals as they might lack sufficient understanding of the science behind the drugs.
With its roots tracing back to 1967, the fat acceptance movement primarily focuses on advocating against discrimination towards fat people. It’s an ally of body positivity, which encourages acceptance and appreciation of one’s own body and attempts to broaden beauty standards to include all sizes. The recent marketing campaigns appear to walk a thin line between pushing for acceptance and promoting the use of weight-loss drugs.
Pharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk’s internet talk show “It’s Bigger Than Me” speaks to body positivity while also exploring the benefits of weight loss for specific health issues. Despite initially developed for Type 2 diabetes, these new weight-loss drugs could potentially become top-selling pharmaceuticals.
Source: Ozempic, weight-loss drugs target body positive influencers for marketing – The Washington Post.
