Anti-Anorexia Billboard Creates Controversy

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An anti-anorexia billboard in Milan featuring a naked woman with anorexia, French actress Isabelle Caro, has created quite a stir. The ad campaign coincided with fashion week and was supposed to display, as stated by the photographer, how scary being too skinny can look. He also states that this is how most of the models today would look without any clothes. While some may say that the intentions are noble, others comment on the fact that this campaign is still, in fact, an advertisement.

In my opinion, the ad would have been more effective if it was a photograph of a woman of healthy weight being presented as desirable, sexy, and the ideal, so that we as a society become more accustomed to this as the standard of beauty rather than an emaciated young woman. Of course, my idea would most likely not create nearly as much controversy. But is controversy necessary in order to get a message across? Would an ad featuring a model of "normal" weight be a less effective tool in getting the message of how the media and fashion world create an unreasonable ideal of beauty?

Thoughts? Comments?