Plus-sized retailer Lane Bryant storms social media with #ImNoAngel campaign

Lane Bryant, a plus-sized retailer, stormed into the forefront of the media’s attention with the #ImNoAngel campaign, which clearly forces comparisons between the curvy models in slinky lingerie and the ultra-petite models posing in Victoria’s Secret 2014 adverts.

The ad, featuring curvaceous models such as Candice Huffine, Marquita Pring and Ashley Graham, aims to gently reveal the perfect imperfections of full-figured women by exposing abdominal scars from ovarian cancer surgery and a few rolls of skin. The advertisement is promoting the new line, Cacique,  available in sizes 12 to 28, designed to show that women can be sexy and confident at any size.

Lane Bryant made a smart and strategic move to garner attention in a digital era by using social media. They hope this will revitalise the brand by promoting positive body image, an ever growing trend. The brand certainly made a big impact with the release of the #ImNoAngel campaign as they are now being consistently associated with phrases such as “redefining body image” and “celebrating women”. They reeled in around 30,000 Facebook and Twitter mentions, of which an outstanding 85 per cent were positive and from women between the ages of 25 and 44.

However, the campaign has been called out by women for not showing enough body diversity and for not empowering the true range of shapes and sizes out there. It has been expressed by “body-positive social media blogger” Amanda Kate Richards that the ad should reflect the knowledge that curvy women come in many different shapes and sizes. She has been spreading this message through her Instagram counter campaign: #ImNoAngel #ImNoModelEither.

Lane Bryant is not the first to cash in on the “body positive” movement as other companies such as H&M, Michael Kors, Calvin Klein and even skincare brand Dove all see the potential to penetrate another profitable market. This is an unsurprising trend; as it stands, at least half of the women in the U.S. wear a size 14, making them an ideal fit for the plus-size market. A surge in the interest in plus-sized women is also due to the rise of curvy bloggers and the influence they have on the market. 

Aura Montana