This gym’s advertisement is fat-shaming viewers in the worst way

Gym advertisements don’t tend to be the most pleasant things to look at on your way to work. With some exceptions, no matter how much these try to motivate you, they tend to have a passive-aggressive tone that just makes us cringe. As for this ad by a gym chain in the UK called Fit4Less, it has taken a turn for the worse.

“Tired of being… Fat & Ugly? Just be ugly at 14.99.”

Yep, that’s what it really says – and one of the ads sits right outside a family supermarket, according to BBC. In a failed attempt to be funny, this gym has insulted a lot of people and probably hasn’t gotten many sign-ups in the process.

In an interview with BBC, a spokesperson for Fit4Less says they meant no harm by the message. In fact, they were just trying to be a little humorous. “Fit4less is a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously, the campaign is intended to be seen as light-hearted fun and we certainly don’t mean to cause offense,” reads the company’s response. “By adopting a light-hearted approach we can reach a wider audience and gain the attention of people who wouldn’t usually respond to traditional gym advertising.”

Sure, they may have reached a wider audience, but that audience probably isn’t all too happy with them.

People are even taking to Twitter to express what they think about this whole debacle:

In the end, we believe there are much better, less offensive ways to advertise for new gym clientele. In fact, why not go for a body-positive angle that encourages viewers to feel empowered to workout and care for themselves?