Fittness First: Bus Stop

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I can just imagine some poor, self-conscious woman sitting peacefully, waiting for the bus to work, making no attempt to attract any attention, just minding her own business. All of a sudden, she looks up. There, for all her fellow commuters to see, is her most secret of secrets – her weight.

That 2kg she put on during the Christmas holidays is on display, along with that 10kg post-baby weight that she just hasn’t been able to shake and the extra 1kg she gained as a result of a recent post-break-up chocolate binge.

But will this make her want to go to the gym?

If it were me, I think I would rather sulk my way home to a nice packet of comfort crisps and a slice of reassuring cheesecake. I could not think of anything more embarrassing than having my weight broadcast at a bus stop for all to see, except maybe actually going to the gym and making an ass of myself. I am not overweight, but I am a woman. And women like to keep these things to themselves.

Yeah, it is innovative and interesting, and everybody likes to see something not-so expected while waiting for a bus. However, I liken this situation to that of a bride-to-be on her hens night; she has a stripper on her lap, is utterly dying of embarrassment, and her companions are being highly entertained by her discomfort and shame (and very glad it is not them in the hot seat). If you were a passer by and saw this ad, you would think it amusing, but if you were the poor sod sitting on the evil seat without noticing it was weighing you, it would not be so funny.

So I am indecisive as to whether his is an effective campaign of not. I don’t think this would make me consider joining Fittness First any more than I have already considered it. In-fact, I think that if it were to persuade me to join a gym, I would probably join any other than the one that has so publicly brought to my attention (and that of others) my need for some excercise. However, you might be interested in a less cynical viewpoint, in which case check out Declan’s post here.

Lets just hope that any commuters as sensitive as me will look before they sit.

Advertising Agency: N=5, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Creatives: Marco de Jong, Thijs Bontje, Jurriaan Noij
Released: March 2009