Networks Ban Ad Featuring Thick Women in Panties

Scantily clad women on TV is nothing new to network television — in fact, it’s often how the networks pay their bills — so the reason why two of the biggest decided to ban a new Lane Bryant lingerie commercial is more than a little baffling. Watch the spot below to see if you can spot a nip-slip, foul language or any other reason why it’s too hot for TV:

Yeah. The only difference between this ad and, say, a Victoria’s Secret commercial is the size of the models. It seems that these beautiful women are too bootylicious for primetime.

The commercial features models Ashley Graham, Precious Lee and Tara Lynn proudly showing off their voluptuous figures in Lane Bryant lingerie. Somewhat ironically, the voice over tells the viewer, “This body is made for proving them wrong.” NBC and ABC, however, didn’t take the hint and asked the fashion company to make changes to the ad based on their “broadcast indecency guidelines.” Short of Photoshopping clothes on the models, we can’t imagine what they mean.

Lane Bryant refused to make the network’s “minor edit” and released this statement instead: “It’s disheartening. This campaign’s intent and purpose was to create beautiful imagery celebrating fashion, women, their bodies and what they can do with them, and to share it on television where all women could see it,” Brian Beitler, Lane Bryant’s chief marketing officer, told Refinery29. “Based on the release of the ad in our social channels, women seem to universally agree that the ad is both beautiful and appropriate.”

He continued, “It is a true celebration of women of all sizes doing what makes them feel beautiful, whether it’s breast feeding their newborn, flaunting their bodies the way they see fit or breaking down barriers all around and simply being who they are or want to be!”

The #ThisBody hashtag, which the ad encouraged their fans to use to show support of the ad, has taken off since the news of the commercial’s ban:

This is not the first time that the plus-size retailer’s ads have been pulled from network TV. In 2010, FOX and ABC initially banned a commercial featuring Graham from their primetime slots, but eventually agreed to run it in their later slots. If social media users continue to put pressure on NBC and ABC this time, hopefully they too will feel inclined to allow the beautiful and positive commercial to air on their channels. 

Check out plus-size blogger and model Gabi Gregg discussing loving her own body and the fact that women don’t have to look a certain way to find an audience:

(Photo: Lane Bryant via Youtube)