M&S criticised by ASA for lingerie advert
Marks & Spencer has been criticised by The Advertising Standards Authority over a lingerie advertisement posted on buses.
The poster, which featured a stocking-clad woman kneeling on a bed with her legs wide apart, was judged to be socially irresponsible by the ASA and M&S was ordered to remove the advert for the Autograph range of lingerie from all outdoor displays.
The ASA received more than a dozen complaints about the advert and a second M&S advert in September.
The complainants said the adverts “objectified women”, were “sexually suggestive” and were likely to be seen by children.
Although the ASA cleared one of the adverts, the other was deemed to have breached the ASA’s code as it was overtly sexual and likely to be seen by children.
M&S said it did not believe the adverts were objectifying, offensive, or overtly sexual and claimed they had been shot in a filmic and atmospheric style.
The ASA said: “We considered that the pose of the woman kneeling on the bed was overtly sexual, as her legs were wide apart, her back arched and one arm above her head with the other touching her thigh. We also noted that the woman in this image wore stockings.
“We considered that the image was of an overtly sexual nature and was therefore unsuitable for untargeted outdoor display, as it was likely to be seen by children. We concluded that the ad was socially irresponsible.”
