Bullying isn’t nice. Kids being picked on for who they are? I know… I’m preaching to the choir. It’s pretty unlikely that a bully isn’t reading this post, right? But maybe not. Perhaps some really clever advertising creators are reading this. And they don’t realize that, in doing good to help their community, they started bullying. Because, sometimes, the most creative, shocking campaigns are mean without meaning to be.

Not sure what I’m referring to? Check out the billboard campaign running in Georgia right now. In an attempt to use shock value to get the attention of parents, the Strong4Life Campaign has purchased billboard ads all over the State of Georgia in hopes to promote a “wake-up call” to Georgian parents about how many children are obese. Their premise is one I absolutely agree with: identifying the obesity crisis in Georgia and enlisting a community to act on their concern.

Smart, right?

But to gain attention, Strong 4 Life and their agency have created a harmful and insulting campaign through ads that aren’t just controversial, they’re insulting to the children who are suffering from obesity. “As a concerned group of moms we recognize that Georgia has a large scale problem with obesity (as the US state with the 2nd highest rate of obesity). No one is refuting that. We are refuting tactics that would harm children in the process.” -Mamavation

Overweight children are being made to feel #ashamed of their problem. And children of normal weight are being exposed to negative connotations about the obese. This is bullying. Why kick the person who’s already down?

We believe it’s wrong to fight obesity by fighting obese people, especially children. Children are defenseless and cannot fight back on their own. Obese people are not the problem, obesity IS. Campaigns that have a focus on hope, support, and education are far more beneficial to children. Most overweight children already suffer from self esteem issues, which are going to be considerably exasperated by these ads. –Mamavation

Join us for a discussion on twitter as moms throughout the nation join together to stand up for these children.

Twitter Event: Friday, January 27th from 9-10pm EST
Hashtag: #Ashamed
Purpose: To protest the Strong4Life Ads in the State of Georgia and chat about obesity and ways to solve problem

Join us by registering for the twitter event and taking a stand against this campaign, and see the list of the many others who are actively #Ashamed at Mamavation.

There will be giveaway prizes, but more importantly, a very important message that we need to get across. Join us to show our strength. Let’s not let these children be #Ashamed. They’re not the problem. Obesity is. Let’s put an end to Obesity. And bullying.

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