3 Lululemon’s Body Diversity Problem: How Social Media Fails Diverse Body Representation

By: Caroline Ellsworth-Hewson

Introduction

Why do our favourite fitness brands still look the same? Have you ever scrolled through a fitness brand’s Instagram and felt like you were being exposed to the exact same body types over and over again? If that does ring a bell, then you’re not imagining things. Our team took it upon ourselves to look deeper into the reasons behind this and how major athletic wear brands, like Lululemon, actually showcase diverse bodies across social media platforms as they preach these values on their own hub.

Spoiler alert: it’s not as inclusive as you might expect from a company that champions “community” and “wellness.”

Why is this such an issue? Well, that is because fitness brands, especially the big ones, don’t just sell athletic wear, they sell lifestyles and ideals. Now with the dominance of social media backing these companies, they further mold and shape the way we as the audience and market view health, beauty, and who seemingly “belongs” in those fitness environments. If brands like Lululemon largely ignore body diversity in their marketing, they reinforce the narrow idea that fitness is only for certain body types.

What Did We Do?

In our research, we set out to answer a lingering question as to how does Lululemon address body diversity and inclusion? The answer we find could help to explain why some consumers, or simply individuals feel left out of the fitness atmosphere and ways in which brands can improve.

To get a better picture of this, our group decided to examine 30 of Lululemon’s recent posts across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. We selected the samples using a method known as representative sampling which allows us to choose media that seem appropriate for the study, which can be applied to the overall messaging of the brand. Additionally, we analyzed what body types were being shown, if there was any indication of inclusive messaging and the audience reception of the post in the comments.

Here is some of the findings that we gathered:

• Almost half of the posts (47%) showed no body diversity at all, featuring only slim or athletic models.
• When diversity was present, it was usually minimal. Only a quarter of the posts showed a mix of body types.
• Athletic body types dominated, appearing in a third of all posts.
• Almost none of the captions or hashtags promoted messages of inclusion, such as #bodypositivity or #diversity.
• The audience? Pretty quiet. Over half of the user comments, we reviewed were neutral, showing neither strong support nor criticism.

With this information, we can discuss that while Lululemon’s website may claim they value diversity and inclusivity, their social media platforms say otherwise, as they predominantly focus and showcase slim, toned, athletic bodies while including minimal others.

Why Does This Matter Beyond Lululemon?

This is significant because it goes beyond simply just Lululemon, it applies to so many other brands in the athletics field. Social media plays a major role in shaping our collective understanding of who are deemed to be a part of fitness culture. When people consistently see certain body types being represented by major brands, it reinforces the idea that in order to “fit into” a certain lifestyle, you need to look a certain way.

This idea ties into something that is known as Cultivation Theory, this suggests that repeated exposure to specific media messages is able to shape how we, the audience, perceive reality. In other words, if you see the same toned and athletic body types in fitness media, many may start to believe those bodies are only included in fitness communities.

Lululemon is just one of the brands that applies too, there are many others facing this issue too. Other research shows similar occurrences happening across the industry, such as some studies on social media trends like #fitspiration (a term for the combination of “fitness” and “inspiration”), where posts mainly feature lean and toned bodies– also leaving out diverse representations.

However, with the changing times, there are growing conversations around body inclusivity and diversity in all sorts of brands, which makes consumers expect- more. Brands that don’t meet this and fail to represent a wider range of bodies run the risk of alienated those who don’t mirror the bodies being shown.

What’s Next For These Brands?

Lululemon’s limited representation may make it more difficult for them to reach and connect with a wider audience, especially those that value inclusivity. Our research indicates that increasing body diversity is more of a business strategy than a moral or ethical one. Simply imagine if major athletic clothing brands such as Lululemon consistently featured people of all shapes and sizes. Representation such as this could shift the fitness culture away from exclusionary beauty standards and instead be more of a welcoming environment. At the same time, our study raised some more questions such as why is the audience reaction predominantly neutral? Could it be because people are so used to it or just ignoring it? Also, how would these reactions change if athletic brands like Lululemon embraced more diverse body representation?

Contributors:

Caroline Ellsworth-Hewson, Tanika Hillocks, Luka Roberts, Jason Asiruwa