The tag line under The Body Shop logo reads: Know Your Mind Love Your Body. The featured Rubenesque character in this advert is known simply as, Ruby.

The image of Ruby and the succinct ad text deliver an effective anti-Barbie marketing message that validates the feelings of the ads’ intended target audience. The ad piece aims to reflect the values and the sensibilities of a woman with a not so uncommon body type.

Ruby is the heroine – confident, secure, self loving and emotionally in control. By knowing her mind and loving her body, her fears are allayed and her happiness is encouraged.

Although the copy and the graphic communicate a strong and accurate message in an intelligent and respectful fashion, The Body Shop received a cease-and-desist order from Mattel concerning the ad. Mattel’s contention was that the piece was insulting to the real Barbie and they demanded that the posters be pulled from store windows.

The ad is especially appealing in an era where Britney Spears shaves her head, gets tattooed and flashes her crotch to the delight of paparazzi. All in the name of publicity, it’s Britney’s misguided and confused strategy for positioning that still has, nonetheless, considerable reach and marketing influence.

The Body Shop ad juxtaposes its self assured, intelligent heroine against the ubiquitous and typical marketing messages of beauty and sex appeal. Messages that invariably communicate that “you’re not OK - but we have the solution – so buy our product.”

This ad says “you’re OK – you know it and we know it too – so reward yourself” and buy our product!