Fatphobia doesn’t help obese people. It is getting stronger and affects people with health issues that exacerbates their exclusion. For World’s Obesity Day on March 4, BETC created a pro bono campaign for the French Obese National Associations Collective (CNAO) to raise awareness about obesity and fatphobia.
With the line, The heaviest thing I carry is the weight of your words, the campaign challenges people to understand the rejection and isolation of people suffering from obesity and calls for a change of behaviour.
The effects of fatphobia are many – loss of self-esteem, increased risk of depression, social isolation, youth deschooling, increased risk of eating disorders, avoidance of medical treatments, late treatment for severe diseases. Fatphobia, especially within the medical world, can be an obstacle when treating people suffering from obesity, which is detrimental as obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated.
In France, almost half of the adult population is considered overweight or obese. 47.3% of French adult people are overweight or obese and 17% are considered obese. Despite how widespread the affliction is, people suffering from obesity face hostility and discrimination. Whether it happens in public, at school, in the workplace, in the medical world, in the media, within their families, or even on social media. Fatphobia becomes another issue that people suffering from obesity have to deal with.
These figures demonstrate that discrimination towards larger bodies is constant and commonplace. 23% of people suffering from obesity and 41% of people suffering from severe obesity are victims of discrimination.
The campaign was shot by Pascal Boudet. The three visuals show bodies, faces, and words of those that society often leaves out of the frame. It reinstates the right to everybody to have a place in the public space and calls out for more general kindness.
Mercedes Erra, president & founder of BETC Group, stated, “Fighting fatphobia is as much an ethical challenge than a public health one. At the same time, that society is becoming more inclusive, fatphobia lingers. It is becoming a violent phenomenon that doesn’t seem to decrease. Our agency is proud to support this cause that follows our strong commitment towards fighting against all discriminations.”
Anne-Sophie Joly, president of the Obese National Associations Collective, added, “This campaign is instrumental to help change the mind of the people over this disease that gets stigmatised and is not fully recognised as such in France and which represents a major health issue globally.”
The campaign will run from March 4 to 10 on outdoor billboards and online posters. The campaign was created with voluntary work from the teams at BETC Paris and production company General Pop.
Credits:
Client: CNAO
Client Team: Anne-Sophie Joly, Camille Marchand
Creative Agency: BETC Paris
Executive Creative Director: Olivier Apers
Art Director: Cassandre Siebert
Copywriter: Marianne Desgrandchamps
Strategic Planners: Catherine Emprin, Jeanne Libfeld
Creative Resource Coordinator: Celine Laporte
Creative Producer: Guillaume Denecker
Agency Management: Catherine Emprin, Jeanne Libfeld
Producer: Stephanie Garnier
Production Company: General Pop
Photographer: Pascal Boudet
Photographer’s Assistant: Thomas Brousmiche
