A scandal-ridden plastic surgery clinic has been caught out using social media to market breast augmentation surgeries to teens, divorcees and vulnerable mothers, according to leaked documents.
A marketing plan created for The Cosmetic Institute exposed an aggressive campaign to drive up sales, while also distancing itself from negative media.
The marketing plan created by Totem Group this year, was directed at three target markets labelled ‘Look at Me 20-29’, ‘Post Divorce 35-45 years’ and ‘Mummy Makeover 30-40 years’.
The marketing plan also targeted women as young as 18, The Daily Telegraph reported.
A marketing plan created for The Cosmetic Institute exposed an aggressive campaign to drive up sales for breast augmentation surgeries (Bondi clinic pictured)
According to the plan leaked by the publication, the marketing team planned to promote breast augmentation surgery as ‘confidence for every woman’.
The content would be advertised to women who viewed beauty content on their browsers.
‘Users that are consuming (watching, sharing, commenting, liking and reading) content relevant to the profile. We can include users that are following brands, celebs specific hashtags etc,’ the plan said.
The leaked marketing documents also revealed the company was struggling with a ‘shortage of appropriate surgeons’.
‘Users that are consuming (watching, sharing, commenting, liking and reading) content relevant to the profile. We can include users that are following brands, celebs specific hashtags etc,’ the plan said (Gold Coast clinic pictured)
The leaked marketing documents also revealed the company was struggling with a ‘shortage of appropriate surgeons’ (stock image)
The company claims to be Australia’s leading provider of breast augmentation surgery performed by experienced surgeons.
It boasts clinics in Bondi in NSW, the Gold Coast in Queensland, and Melbourne in Victoria.
The claims surfaced amid a reported take over by Macquarie Health, which planned to re-brand the business in an attempt to detach itself from an ongoing class action.
A group of women brought a class action against the company this year, alleging negligence during breast procedures, with some claiming the surgeries left them with life-threatening complications.
Body Positive Australia director Sarah Harry (pictured) was shocked the company planned to target vulnerable women
In the class action filed in the NSW Supreme Court, women alleged they suffered heart attacks, punctured lungs, scarring and some alleged they lost the ability to breastfeed after undergoing procedures with the clinic.
Body Positive Australia director Sarah Harry was shocked the company planned to target vulnerable women.
‘To go after women they believe are vulnerable to body insecurities like mothers or divorcees to try and exploit their insecurities is horrifying,’ she told the publication.