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MEMORANDUM

TO: Shawn Gold, Chief Marketing Officer

FROM: Natalie Cerna, Marketing Manager

DATE: November 15, 2018

SUBJECT: Concern About Fabletics Instagram Advertisement

I would like to discuss some ethical concerns regarding a Fabletics leggings Instagram
advertisement that was brought to my attention on September 25th, 2018, attached below. The ad
features two pairs of leggings offered at 2 for $24 and the caption reads, “These leggings were
made for your butt! Really.” The language of the caption promotes the objectification of women
by focusing on the physical qualities of a specific body part rather than the use of the leggings in
various types of athletic activity. This presents a social concern about the way women’s bodies
are perceived and depicted in advertising. Also, the offer in the advertisement is deceptive
because of the small font size and the additional costs that are not mentioned in the ad. The
caption and deceptive qualities of this advertisement demonstrate a lack of regard for ethical
considerations.

Application of American Marketing Association Code of Ethics

The Fabletics advertisement violates several aspects of the American Marketing Association
(AMA) Code of Ethics because of the language of the caption and the presentation of the pricing.

 Responsibility: “Acknowledge the social obligations to stakeholders that come with

increased marketing and economic power.” As a women’s clothing brand, we have a
responsibility to promote our products in a way that respects women’s bodies and their
perception of body image. The caption of the ad perpetrates a negative outlook on
women’s bodies by emphasizing an oversexualized body part rather than highlighting the
athletic use of the leggings.

 Respect: “Value individual differences and avoid stereotyping customers or depicting

demographic groups in a negative or dehumanizing way.” The caption violates the
respect component, as it insinuates that the value women obtain from the leggings is
based solely on physical appearance. The connotation of the caption implies that women
are concerned with the way their body looks, not athletic activities. This language can be
especially harmful to young demographics that may have body image issues.

 Fairness: “Represent products in a clear way in selling; this includes the avoidance of
false, misleading and deceptive promotion.” The small print within the advertisement is a
deceptive technique that does not disclose the actual price of the product. The additional
costs of becoming a VIP member are higher than the price advertised.
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Application of the Consumer Sovereignty Test

The Fabletics advertisement is in violation of the Consumer Sovereignty Test, described below.

 Consumer Capability: This dimension refers to any factors of vulnerability that would
limit the ability of the consumer to make a good decision. Since young women are part of
our target market, there is a concern for chronic vulnerability in terms of age. Women’s
bodies are constantly discussed and criticized, even from an early age. The caption’s
objectifying language is problematic for young women who may not have the experience
to understand the importance of their qualities beyond physical appearance. Our
advertisement contributes to the objectification and demeaning language surrounding the
conversations about the female body.

 Information: The information dimension asserts that the consumer must have sufficient,
clear and accurate information that will enable them to make a good decision. The
advertisement is in violation of this dimension since the ad does not make it clear that to
exercise the 2 for $24 deal, the customer must purchase a VIP membership. As you are
aware, the additional costs of having a VIP membership are greater than the advertised
offer. Failing to inform the consumer of these additional costs is deceptive.

 Choice: Choice refers to the fact that the consumer must have freedom of choice for
products and brands. The advertisement does not violate the Choice dimension since
consumers have a wide variety of choices when shopping for athletic apparel.

Recommendations

As a women’s athletic clothing company, there is an obligation to empower women through our
products and advertisements. To be an ethical brand, we must create advertising that is truthful
and transparent. I have developed several recommendations to avoid ethical violations in future
advertisements.

First, it is imperative to change the caption of the advertisement. The revised caption should
honor the mission of Fabletics by promoting our products as versatile active wear and reflect our
vision of providing products that empower women to accomplish various types of physical
activity. A suggestion for a new caption is, “A comfortable fit for your favorite sport.” It is
important to generate a new image that features a woman wearing the leggings and participating
in an athletic activity such as running or yoga. These changes demonstrate cohesiveness
throughout the advertisement as well as a positive outlook on women and their athletic abilities.

Next, it is necessary to explicitly state that the offer, 2 for $24, is only valid with a VIP
membership by increasing font size so that it is easily read or by including this information in the
caption. Furthermore, the ad should inform customers that a VIP membership requires additional
fees.
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To prevent this issue in the future, the font size of important information must be large enough
for the consumer to read without zooming in. This is especially important on a platform like
Instagram that is typically viewed on mobile devices.

By implementing these changes and understanding the social impact that our choice of language
can have on consumers, Fabletics can create a more ethical and trustworthy brand perception. If
you have further questions regarding my concerns and recommendations, please contact me at
ncerna@zagmail.gonzaga.edu.

Attachment: Fabletics Instagram Advertisement