A popular UK gym has come under fire for a sexist billboard advertisement featuring an image of a woman’s thong-clad backside.
Based in Cardiff, Wales, UFit Fitness is being called out by women on social media for the ad, who are labelling the image a “disgrace” and “soft-porn fitness.”
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The billboard in question features a blown-up image of a woman’s behind sitting on an exercise bike along with the words, “There’s better things to be stuck behind than the car in front.”
The board was installed along the route of a half marathon last week, so as to be viewed by the more than 22,000 runners passing by.
Unsurprisingly, women were not impressed with the ad and took to Twitter to sound off.
Another user chimed in, “I wouldn’t want to go to a gym which encouraged ogling. Creepy. And that arse is intimidating,” while Sarah Worley-James said she was “deeply offended” by the advert and asked UFit to “respect women” more.
Apparently, the city of Cardiff was none to pleased either. Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens said: “This is yet another example of inappropriate and sexist advertising that shouldn’t be anywhere near a family friendly event.”
UFit Fitness has since responded to the backlash, with a manager telling the Mirror, “It wasn’t our intention to offend people and it wasn’t at all done in a sexist or derogatory manner.”
What do you think? Did UFit Fitness go too far?