THE CASE FOR DITCHING ‘DIET CULTURE’ WHEN MARKETING PROTEIN TO WOMEN
By Anna Sward, PhD
Founder/CEO Protein Pow Ltd
1950s
1960s
Mid 1980s &
1990s
PROTEIN POWDER FOR WOMEN
2010 - 2015
WHAT MAKES A POWDER FOR WOMEN?
“DIETING AIDS”
CalciumGreen Tea Leaf Extract
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)L-Carnite
MARKETING
DIET CULTURE
A system of ideas, standards, images, messages, and
tropes that idolize thinness/leanness and equates it to
health, wellness, and happiness.
LEAN. DIET. TONED. WEIGHT-LOSS. DETOX.
IDEAL
LEAN
“FOR A TONED BODY”
“A WEIGHT-
MANAGEME
NT FUSION”
“CURB YOUR HUNGER
FOR HOURS”“CURBS APPETITE”
SEXY
WHEY
“4x
REDUCTI
N IN
BELLY
FAT.”
“FUEL
LEAN
MUSCLE.”
“BURN
FAT” ‘FAT BURNING PROTEIN’
“SUPPORTS FAT LOSS”
Whey Protein Isolate, Cocoa,
Sucralose, Sodium Chloride,
Lactase, Vitamin D, Vitamin B9
(as Folic Acid), Calcium (as
Calcium AAC), Natural & Artificial
Flavoring
“Formulated by women for women. Women make up a
large part of the fitness community but unfortunately
that is not reflected in the supplement industry. Gym
Vixen is not just under dosed male products but
formulations and ingredients that specifically benefit the
female physique”
Designed specifically for women…formulated for women's nutritional needs
and are super convenient.
Whether you're trying to shape up or simply maintain the body you've already worked
hard to achieve, every meal counts. If you eat too many empty carbs, you'll just be
raiding your cupboards an hour later.
Skip protein, and you'll struggle to stay toned — no matter how much time you
clock in the gym. That's why it's so important to eat the right nutrients, in the right
amounts, at every meal.
Use this product as a food supplement only. Do not use for weight reduction.
CASE STUDY 1: “UK’S #1 FEMALE NUTRITIONAL BRAND
CASE STUDY 1: “UK’S #1 FEMALE NUTRITIONAL BRAND”
It is our belief that healthy eating and an active lifestyle provides all-around wellness benefits.
Cute Nutrition has been developed to help you become a healthier, happier and stronger you!
A young team of nutritionists, personal trainers, fitness and sports lovers we at Cute are trying to provide education & inspire strong women.
Q: Other than female-led branding, how are you products more suitable and for women than men?A: Insignificant question.
Q: In what way do you believe [the image to the left] to be “fun, approachable and aspirational”?A: For customers that shop with Cute, this image is appealing.
From from https://oxford-fitness.com/2018/11/19/dont-call-me-
cutie-👄/ with permission from author.
“Before this goes around in circles in your “beliefs”
and the business of Cute Nutrition feel free to give
me a call on [mobile number] anytime between 1-
3pm today before your “threat” backfires into public
slander and oxford fitness is no
longer. Alternatively we can arrange a meeting with
myself and one of my contacts at the ASA who I
deal with.” Email exchange between Cute Nutrition
CEO and blogger from oxford-fitness.com.
MUSCLE SPORT - GENERAL
Simultaneously builds muscle & burns fat*
Novel Lean Muscle Matrix
The Lean Muscle Matrix works synergistically to promote increases in your metabolic rate and support the burning of body fat by using it for energy, making LEAN WHEY the MVP in the supplement arsenal of any athlete.
MUSCLE SPORT – HER SERIES
Unique combination of protein and proven fat
burners made specifically for HER*
Supports increases in lean muscle*
Aids in fat & weight loss efforts*
What’s more, SlimWhey’s™ cutting-edge
formula includes a carefully crafted Tone & Trim
Matrix designed to supercharge your metabolism
& assist in healthy weight loss.
CLA – Verified time and time again by rigorous
scientific research to activate mechanisms
preliminary to thermogenesis and fat oxidation,
while simultaneously showing the capacity to aid
muscle development.
THE AD
THE BACKLASH
“Ellen noticed that stores have regular products, but they also have lady
products - which are the same thing, only pink”
Diet and weight loss industry worth
£2bn in the UK. More than $68bn in
the US alone. It sells to tap into
people’s insecurities. Why bother
changing and perhaps more
importantly, how?
• Body dissatisfaction
• Body dysmorphia
• Negative impact on wellness & health
• Mental health
• Lack of long-term health impacts
Dittmar, H. (2007). The Costs of Consumer Culture and the “Cage Within”: The Impact of the Material “Good Life” and Body Perfect” Ideals on Individuals‟ Identity and Well-being. Psychological
Inquiry. 18(1), 23-31
Shields, V.R. & Heinecken, D. (2002). Measuring Up: How Advertising affects Self-Image. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press
Dion, Jacinthe, et al. "Development and aetiology of body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys and girls." International journal of adolescence and youth 20.2 (2015): 151-166.
Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne, et al. "Dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors during adolescence: associations with 10-year changes in body mass index." Journal of Adolescent Health 50.1
(2012): 80-86.
Forbes, G.B., Collinsworth, L.L., Jobe, R.L., Braun, K.D., & Wise, L.M. (2007). Sexism, Hostility towards Women, and Endorsement of Beauty Ideals and Practices: Are Beauty Ideals Associated
with Oppressive Beliefs? Sex Roles, 56: 265-273
Monro, F. & Huon, G. (2005). Media-Portrayed Idealized Images, Body Shame, and Appearance Beauty. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 38(1): 85-90
Horndasch et al (2018) Neural processing of food and emotional stimuli in adolescent and adult anorexia nervosa patients. PLOS.
WHY ESCHEW IT?
“We have a paradox in that we’re completely obsessed with being thin yet the majority of the adult population is either overweight or obese. For most girls, unless you’re of a certain height, those body images are impossible to achieve without diet control practices which would verge on the psycho-pathological. This ideal isn’t stimulating people to lose weight, it’s merely making them unhappy.”
- Professor Jason Halford, chair of the UK Association for the Study of Obesity. Mintel 2014
IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY
OPTIMUM NUTRITION• Focus on performance
• No reference to Opti-Lean being a female-centric product range.
• No female-centric product range.
TERA’S WHEY
THE BIRTH OF PROTEIN POW
COOKING: WORKSHOPS & PRESS
PROTEINPOW.COM/PRESSPROTEINPOW.COM/WORKSHOPS
COOKBOOKS
Our cookbooks are sold in all major bookstores
worldwide as well as big box stores like Walmart. We
also have an app on iOS and Android (the Protein Pow
App).
PROTEIN POW
ONLINE TRACTION
Our website has over
17 million views and
over 1,000 original
recipes. On social
media our organic
following has over
140K fans combined.
CONSUMER GOODS
In late January of 2019 we launched our first ready-to-eat
protein snack: cookie dough, also ready-to-bake, plant-
based/vegan and with no sugar added.
Actively rejecting diet culture and body-centric messaging.
Celebration of strength, story, balance, happiness, fun.
Protein as a nutrition-dense ingredient = it’s just food!
Education around nutrition (not just protein) via recipes, content, and hands-on events.
Detangling protein from weight-loss, toning, and ‘diet’.
MISSION
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
Even healthy seniors need more protein than when they were younger to help preserve muscle mass [ye]t up to 1/3rd of older don’t eat an adequate amount of protein due to:
• Reduced mobility (due to inactivity, illness, prolonged hospital stays)
• Reduced appetite
• Dental issues +/- impaired taste
• Swallowing problems
• Limited resources
•
See: Sara Y Oikawa et al (2018) A randomized controlled trial of the impact of protein supplementation on leg lean mass and integrated muscle protein synthesis during inactivity and energy restriction in older persons. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Diet and weight loss industry is
worth more than $68bn in the
US.
In 2016, the global health and
wellness food market was
valued at $707.12 billion US
dollars and is projected to
increase to $811.82 billion US
dollars by 2021.
ENJOY YOUR BODY!
Use it any way you can. Don’t be afraid of it – or of what other
people think of it. It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever know.
- Bax Luhrmann, Everybody’s (Free to Wear Sunscreen)