Smallstep Gut Ad: Motivating or Scary?

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Smallstep Gut Ad: Motivating or Scary?

February 6, 2008

I recently saw this billboard for Smallstep (the same folks that put the tiny shirts in laundromats across NYC) and I had to do a double take. I am not really even sure what the ad is implying, but I know it has something to do with losing your belly fat. Simply deflate your gut? We can only wish it were that easy. What do you guys think?

Poll Motivating Or Scary

23 Comments

3 years 43 weeks

I personally find this ad AWFUL!! I have a special needs daughter with a GTube. This ad in passing by looks like a billboard poking fun at GTube patients. When I saw it was actually a government sponsored ad, I was even more appalled. The gov should be more sensitive to special needs than this. The TV ads finding missing bellys & butts is cute, but this is not right.

behemoth_the_cat 5 years 15 weeks

This would probably be a better ad for pills for when u have gas lol

wackdoodle 5 years 15 weeks

Neither motivating nor scary - just a curious ad that makes me wonder what the heck they're advertising. Which is exactly the point. Went to the website smallstep.gov and it's small changes you can begin to make to step away from obesity and poor health choices. Ahh now it makes sense. The website address in the ad is too small and not in the memorable location to provoke people to write down the site or to visit the site - bad ad agency.

spacebear 5 years 15 weeks

so glad you showed the close up. this billboard is near my work and i had no idea what it was for or what that tube was. i even asked my co-workers one day. i don't think its very effective since its not very clear.

Spectra 5 years 15 weeks

It's just gross! It sort of makes me think of a giant fart or something. I wouldn't associate it with fat loss at all...it's just bizarre looking. Besides, it's not that easy to just lose weight. It takes a lot of effort and work, not just popping a hole in your gut.

jkat 5 years 15 weeks

I don't think it is either scary or motivated. Just weird. I would think it was an add for Gas-X (or if a woman's stomach Midol) b/c it makes me think of bloating, not fat loss.

wiggle 5 years 15 weeks

Just kinda gross looking.

kiddylnd 5 years 15 weeks

Just freakin' odd. I don't get this campaign at all. I mean I get the message and point, I just think they are going in a wrong direction with it all. Yes, they want to be clever, but if the folks who commented above didn't get it after seeing it several times it's obviously not doing it's job.

karisaamy 5 years 15 weeks

Weird, It took me a minute to figure out what was going on there.

PooLovesBoo 5 years 15 weeks

It took me a while to realize what that was...

oliveye 5 years 15 weeks

Ha! I see this ad everyday and have been meaning to look up the website.

melizzle 5 years 15 weeks

Odd.

ElissaM 5 years 15 weeks

Yuck!

geohiker 5 years 15 weeks

I've seen this billboard, and was totally baffled by it. Too confusing, especially when I am driving.

sheanichole 5 years 15 weeks

I saw this ad on a roadside billboard and couldn't make out what it was about, glad I saw this article so I know! I never made the correlation to a spare tire, I couldn't tell exactly what the thing was on his stomach...I had thought it was a tube (you know, driving and all, hard to pay close attention sometimes!) Now that I can see it while sitting still, it makes sense.

tlsgirl 5 years 15 weeks

Just weird to me.

Lovely_1 5 years 15 weeks

A little on the creepy side...

Renees3 5 years 15 weeks

Ugh. I'm one of those lucky people that gain all their weight in their middle. This just grosses me out. I work out a lot and my stomach will always be the last to go. Blah

aimeeb 5 years 15 weeks

Weird...

gumdrops334 5 years 15 weeks

its not motivating nor is it scary. it's just weird. however, now I'm intrigued to check out the website.

foxie 5 years 15 weeks

I get what they're going for, and I agree that people need to be confronted by their unhealthy choices. However, I really hate to be intruded upon... I don't like people moving my stuff around or even touching it at all, so I can imagine that for some people who get something thrown in with their laundry it's more traumatic than Small Step intends for it to be.

superfoxml 5 years 15 weeks

You know, they're trying to say, "take the air outta your spare tire!". I guess the ads are just tough love, a new approach at reminding people to live healthier lifestyles. Shocking things stick in the memory, that's what they're going for.

gigill 5 years 15 weeks

I just don't want to see that!

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23 Comments

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