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The Rubens

Courtesy of The Body Shop

Ruby
Illustration manipulation by J. Unger

Rudy

We admit it. We weren't the first to think of it.

The Body Shop's most recent ad campaign featured Ruby and the slogan: "There are 3 billion women who don't look like supermodels and only 8 who do." We've just altered it a little to include the other half, with Rudy (a.k.a. Ken) and: "There are 3 billion men who don't look like Chippendales, and this is one of them."

Posters and postcards of "Ruby" (she was originally nameless, but consumers adopted the name Ruby after "Rubenesque") started showing up around the country in magazines and in Valley Body Shops a couple of weeks ago as part of the company's "international campaign on self-esteen and body image." The items sold out quickly, according to Scottie Jones, owner of two stores. Windows 95 users can download a "Real Ruby" screen saver off the company's Web site.

A few people took offense to posters of a large nude women displayed in a window in the Fiesta and Fashion Square malls. "Women who had young boys with them in the mall, they said it was inappropriate," says Jones. Interesting note: Not one man complained.

We'll see what pops up with Rudy. -- Liz Garone

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