Marketing weight loss prior to the 20th century would have been analogous to marketing blankets in a desert; being obese used to be a super cool way to tell people that you were rich and well nourished. The average American’s knowledge of William H. Taft extends no further than the fact that he (allegedly) got stuck in the White House bathtub. You think he would have gotten elected had he run (or walked briskly for 30-35 minutes, three times per week) on a platform of CrossFit and lentil burgers? Please.<br /><br />Now, of course, the opposite is true: obesity is rampant and people are willing to try just about anything to lose a few pounds. It should come as no surprise, then, that the American weight loss industry is valued at roughly $68 billion. Marketing to overweight and obese Americans means marketing to the majority of Americans.