Lean Cuisine campaign is being dragged for its condescending message: 'This is not empowering'
Lean Cuisine launched a new campaign on Wednesday that focuses on women and the idea of “having it all.” With a modern-day spin, the brand attempted a social experiment to encourage women to redefine their own versions of what “it all” looks like. But instead of changing the conversation surrounding the standards that society places on women, the brand that specializes in creating low-fat and low-calorie meals instead perpetuated a sexist message and failed spectacularly.
Lean Cuisine has always supported women and their ambitions. What does having #ItAll mean to you? pic.twitter.com/75UByaawym
— Lean Cuisine (@LeanCuisine) May 23, 2018
The promotional video released with the campaign features a social psychologist who observes a number of women who are shopping in the ItAll store, choosing the things they want to incorporate into their lives, all while discussing the sacrifices they have to make to do so. Disappointingly, most attention is placed on women’s choices in the areas of children and relationships.
Lean Cuisine says that “helping women unlock the power of the female relationship” is one of the goals of the campaign as a whole. But by showcasing conversations among the women that have to do with the pressure they feel to take care of friends and family, and how they can help one another with raising their children, the brand seems to have missed the boat when it comes to accurately reflecting women’s relationships. Not to mention that the idea of women wanting or needing to “have it all” is nearly as outdated as the brand’s mission to provide people with frozen foods that will keep their figures svelte.
And on social media, where the campaign’s hashtag lives and is being promoted as a Twitter trend, people are expressing all of these opinions.
Supporting women by encouraging diet culture, emphasizing adherence to a bs beauty standard, and a corporate message of "you're worthless unless you're thin?" Yeah, no thanks. Having #ItAll starts with not buying into that garbage and not buying yours.
— Fred McDonald ?? (@awfulhorrid) May 24, 2018
Having #ItAll would mean living in a world where there is no multi-billion dollar weight loss industry telling us we aren't good enough the way we are and we need to buy product after product to feel/be better.
— WeirwoodTreeHugger (@weirwoodtreehug) May 24, 2018
Having #ItAll as a women would be if no one asked women how to "have it all". Does anyone ask men how to have it all? No. No, they do not.
— Michelle (@RageMichelle) May 24, 2018
Lean Cuisine, marketing diet food to women only in 2018 will get you destroyed on Twitter, especially with a hashtag of having #ItAll. This isn't empowering–it's demeaning and insulting. Go back to your marketing team and try again. https://t.co/60XunhEvYU
— LadyL RN ?? (@LadyLecondoliak) May 24, 2018
From its Twitter account, the brand has replied to a lot of the comments to explain their intentions with the campaign.
We're encouraging women to ditch the stereotypical and outdated idea of needing to "have it all". We're hoping to start a dialogue that having "it all" means something different to everyone.
— Lean Cuisine (@LeanCuisine) May 24, 2018
For almost 40 years, we’ve been committed to supporting women. We’ll continue to support them and their pursuits!
— Lean Cuisine (@LeanCuisine) May 24, 2018
All in all, it’s become clear that women don’t want to be asked about having it all.
— Carrie (@c4arriem4rie) May 24, 2018
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