Beach Body Firm Hits Out At Billboard Backlash

The company responsible for weight loss advertisements criticised for being sexist has told Sky News it was merely responding to the wishes of its female consumers.
The images on the London Underground depicting model Renee Somerfield in a bikini next to the words "Are you beach body ready?" have angered feminists who say they promote an "unrealistic body image".
An online petition to ban the posters on the basis they could make women feel ashamed of their bodies has more than 43,000 signatures.
But Richard Staveley, head of marketing at Protein World, said 84% of his customers were female and many said they wanted to see "aspirational" images to help them lose weight.
"We've got a customer base of 300,000 and we did meticulous research and spoke to a large cross-section of our female customers who said this is exactly what they wanted to see," he said.
"(Ms Somerfield) works hard, trains hard and eats well. She displays an inner and outer confidence which we're suggesting with our advert."
Critics of the billboards have been adding the hashtag #everybodysready to tweets of pictures of vandalised posters with writing scrawled across it, such as "f*** off".
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it has received 216 complaints about the ad.
An ASA spokeswoman said the general nature of the complaints is that the ad is "offensive, irresponsible and harmful because it promotes an unhealthy body image".
Protein World has also been criticised for responding rudely to tweets from feminists asking for the posters to be removed.
A tweet from Protein World's Twitter account stated it was "here to motivate, not commiserate" with the hashtag #getagrip.
Mr Staveley admitted the company's response had "sailed close to the wind" but said he did not regret the approach it had taken to the criticism.
According to its website, Protein World is "leading the protein revolution with a new and innovative range of pure, GMO-free supplements to help you become healthier, leaner, fitter and stronger".
Former Apprentice and Celebrity Big Brother Katie Hopkins, who has been outspoken about weight issues in the past, tweeted: "Chubsters, quit vandalising Protein World ads and get your arse running on the road.
"Feminism isn't an excuse for being fat. Eat less move more."