Thin Is Not Enough in GNC Spot

A soap-opera actress who plays a doctor stars in MARC USA’s first TV work for General Nutritional Centers. The ads focus on women’s never-ending quest to lose weight—even though they may already be relatively fit.

A key insight to the effort for GNC’s Scan Diet weight-loss program is that “Dieting isn’t about being thin, but about being thinner,” said Kris Knie-riem, a vice president and creative director at the Pittsburgh agency.

In one ad, a slinky black cocktail dress swings across the screen against copy that reads, “A little black dress is one thing.