Modern Family star Sofia Vergara is known for her stunning curves – so it comes as some surprise that Pepsi appear to have elected to digitally slim her image in a poster for its new ‘skinny’ can.

The actress, 38, is almost unrecognisable in the retro-style photograph, in which she wears a floppy sun hat and halterneck swimsuit.

She pouts as she sips from the diet soft drink’s new-look can which was launched last week at New York Fashion Week in a bid to target a young, stylish market.

Now the advertisement has come under fire from critics, who have slammed Pepsi Co as ‘irresponsible’.

The drinks giant was unavailable for comment this afternoon, but already marketing industry experts and eating disorder campaigners have spoken out in anger.

Steve Hall of industry blog Ad Rants wrote: ‘Vergara’s less than skinny upper-body parts have been minimised by photographic angle and a freakish shoulder placement.

‘Because, after all, women with big boobs aren’t skinny. They’re top heavy. And top heavy is bad when it comes to our current culture’s definition of rail thin beauty.’

And Jezebel writer Margaret Hartmann wrote: ‘Vergara’s positioned so you can’t see most of her face and body, and her arm is whittled by an oddly-placed shadow.’

The National Eating Disorders Association was also concerned about the impact of the poster, telling Fox News that the company was ‘thoughtless and irresponsible’.

Pepsi’s skinny new can was billed as a ‘taller, sassier’ drink for ‘beautiful confident women’ when it launched last week.

But it failed to win the approval of fashionistas at New York Fashion Week, who took to Twitter in their hundreds.

Andrea_TheNerd slammed Pepsi Co’s marketing campaigns, writing: ‘From the racist Pepsi Max SuperBowl ad to the sexist Diet Pepsi Skinny Can, @pepsico is doing everything they can to alienate consumers.

PropelYourBrand wrote: ‘Guess they didn’t get the “the models are too skinny” memo.’

And even those who don’t drink the product are angry. Beyondchoc added: ‘Pepsi compares being “skinny” with celebrating “beautiful, confident women” Wish I drank Pepsi just so I could boycott them!’

The New York Daily News has also weighed in on the issue with an article that commented: ‘PepsiCo, which also owns chip maker Frito Lay, is betting on the idea that women will be wild to identify with anything “skinny”‘.

But Pepsi bosses defended their new-look can, which will be available to buy nationwide from next month.

PepsiCo’s Jill Beraud said in a press release: ‘Diet Pepsi has a long history of celebrating women through iconic fashion imagery seen in our infamous and historical campaigns, and we’re proud to continue that tradition as an official sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

‘Our slim, attractive new can is the perfect complement to today’s most stylish looks, and we’re excited to throw its coming-out party during the biggest celebration of innovative design in the world.’

Source: Daily Mail