A swimwear brand has been forced to respond after they were met with a wave of criticism about their advertising campaigns lacking diversity.
Lahana, an Australian swimwear brand, found itself at the center of a social media storm, prompting both praise and criticism from its online audience.
The campaign featured a series of captivating images showcasing women donning black bikinis against the backdrop of a serene beach shoreline, with the rising sun casting a golden glow in the background.
While the visuals appeared to be just another typical swimwear promotion, it was the selection of models that ignited a firestorm of controversy.
Critics swiftly took to social media to voice their concerns, arguing that the campaign exclusively featured women who adhered to conventional standards of fitness and body appearance.
One comment read: "Tf is this, WHERE is the representation? How tone deaf can you be to post this at all let alone with the caption 'real bodies'? Get it together lol this is embarrassing."
A second critic said: "Only thin caucasian women are showed up to this because the brand is marketing a certain demographic. when you pay plus size models & bipoc models to model for the company & market it to plus size & bipoc women, and hire someone BIPOC plus size on [your] marketing team, then this problem won’t arise and you won’t lose $. the mark is being missed because it’s a shot in the dark. this is why representation is important."
It should be noted that there we also messages of support for Lahana, though the brand felt that the wave of controversy required a response.
In their response, Lahana stated: "These are 'real bodies' because they are bodies lived and inhabited by their powerful owners. This was a local call out - which means these girls chose to participate," cited by the Daily Mail.
The brand went on: "Yes, we would have loved to have more shapes and skin tones, but these are the beautiful, strong girls who decided to show up and participate on the day. We are so grateful for them and the energy they brought to the shoot."
The brand emphasized that these women were not professional models but part of their customer and community base, describing them as "sisters, friends, La loyal girls" who volunteered to model for the campaign.
Lahana acknowledged the room for improvement, stating: "Please be aware that we can always do better, and we are aware of this. This was simply about community, solidarity, about showing power in your body. We love and adore this shoot and can feel the power from the women. We hope you can see and feel the intention too."
In a subsequent post, Lahana commended the women who participated in the shoot and promised to "try harder" in their next community call-out "to make sure you are seen and heard."
It remains to be seen how Lahana will alter its next advertising campaign to appease its critics.
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