The Absence of Yoga in Yoga Advertising

The idea behind holistic living comes from the term holism, a term coined by J.C. Smuts in the 1920’s (OED). The term, broken into two parts, means “whole” plus “ism” which is the theory that parts of a whole are interconnected and cannot exist independently of one another. It is also thought that the parts cannot be fully understood without reference to the whole being. This is why living holistically involves a deep look into an individual's physical health, mental well-being, emotional balance, social connections, and spirituality. Mainstream media and advertising will often use the ideas of holistic living to sell products to a wide range of consumers, whether or not those consumers are intentionally seeking to live a whole life. There are both positives and negatives to this type of advertising; the positive is that consumers are introduced to healthier lifestyle practices by consuming products that originate from holistic living values. The negative is that the culture of holistic living itself is effectively anti-consumerism, but indirectly contributes to waste and the habitual consumption of products that have little to do with the intended use.

Since holistic living involves every aspect of the human being, it would be difficult to explain rhetorical appeals in advertising based on only one part. For the sake of simplicity, I am focusing on the holistic based practice of yoga. Some items that I’ve seen advertised in mainstream media that have very little to do with the practice of yoga are “yoga pants”, and the “yoga wheels”. You may ask, “Do you mean yoga pants aren’t a significant element to the practice of yoga??” and I’m here to gleefully tell you that yoga pants absolutely are not required to practice the sacred art of yoga! This may seem exciting to some but a letdown to others. Traditionally, teachers recommend loose cotton or linen clothing so that you are not restricted during your movements. Just because I tell you that yoga pants are not required doesn’t mean I don’t like to indulge myself in a fancy pair and flaunt them to the studio. That’s not what I’m saying at all but what I am saying is that they aren’t required and that they have nothing to do with yoga, traditionally. Only mainstream media makes wearing yoga pants for yoga a reality.

Athleisure brands and sports equipment brands have been using the term “yoga” to sell products for years. The products being sold have little to do with the practice of yoga. For instance, a Lululemon commercial uses a model wearing green yoga pants practicing yoga postures in a jungle setting, with the postures revealing the cultural norm of a typical yogi. The natural sounds of breath and birds appeal to the naturally focused fitness enthusiast, with the sounds of breath emphasizing the credibility of the person performing the workout. The camera zooms in close to the fabric of the pants as well as the veins within the leaves of the plants and the words “feel embrace” flash over the screen. The commercial is meant to make the audience feel as though they need to wear these pants to feel embraced and supported by the benefits of a purely fitness-focused form of yoga. The commercial is only 15 seconds which is convenient to the consumer whose attention lasts only 15 seconds. 

A commercial for a yoga wheel from Innova Goods features a model in yoga pants doing her yoga practice with a yoga wheel. The wheel is meant to be used as a type of prop to support the yoga practitioner in a variety of poses. Typically in yoga, props support the yogi in extending their postures and supporting a deeper practice. Yoga wheels are new in the yoga community and do little more than what traditional props can do for the practice. The brand used calm music to illustrate the practitioner's flow while using the yoga wheel. The camera zooms in to magnify the elements of touch and softness of the product. The model is doing her practice in a studio-like room which is typical for most commercialized yoga practices which reinforces the need for perfection in the yoga environment. The yoga wheel appears to support the practitioner in every movement, whether she is just moving her arms over the wheel or laying back on it while she opens her chest to the ceiling. Any person who would like to get into practicing yoga would be provoked to buy this item for the simplicity of using one prop to explore multiple movements. Without knowledge of human anatomy, the yoga wheel seems like a wonderful idea but in reality, when used without proper guidance, much harm could be done to the body.

Goods, Innova. “Innovagoods Sport Fitness Yoga Wheel.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 Jan. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEPaGYgY61Y.

Lululemon. “Lululemon | Feel Embrace.” YouTube, YouTube, 10 Aug. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6oB72IL2Yw.

"Oxford English Dictionary (OED).”The New York Public Library, www.nypl.org/research/collections/articles-databases/oxford-english-dictionary-oed. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.