ASA Adjudication on Procter & Gamble UK

Ad

Two TV ads, for Daz washing powder, featured the pop group Right Said Fred. The singer, when presented with a white t-shirt, said "We can be sexy again" and then the group were shown performing in a pub. They sang "I'm too sexy for my whites, so sexy, so bright" while the lead singer moved his left hand down his chest towards his groin.

Issue

Five viewers believed the ads were unsuitable for broadcast around children's television programmes, because of the reference to "sexy" and the suggestive movements of the lead singer while he sang.

BCAP TV Code

BCAP TV Scheduling Code

Response

Procter and Gamble (P&G) said they believed the ad was not unsuitable to be viewed by children; they said the word "sexy" was not offensive, or rude, and neither were the lead singer's gestures. They said the word "sexy" did not need to be excluded from the hearing of young children in their opinion.

The Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre (BACC) said the ad had been toned down at pre-production stage, because they had pointed out that the content of the original script might be subject to a timing restriction. The BACC said, after viewing the completed ad, they had decided that no timing restriction was necessary, because the ad showed a very tame performance by an established pop group and no sexually charged references or movements.

Assessment

Not upheld

The ASA acknowledged that some parents believed the ad was unsuitable to be shown around children's programmes, because it included references to the word "sexy" and the singer's movements could be considered to be mildly suggestive. We noted some children had asked their parents what "sexy" meant and that they believed this was inappropriate, as was their children singing the song. However, we noted the female characters dancing was humorous, not sexual, and considered that young children who saw the ad were likely to respond to the humour, rather than viewing it in a sexual context. We understood that some parents may have felt uncomfortable explaining what "sexy" meant, but we nevertheless concluded that the ad was suitable to be shown without a scheduling restriction.

We investigated the TV ads under CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Standards Code rule 7.3.7 (Scheduling restrictions) and CAP (Broadcast) rules on the Scheduling of Advertisements rule 4.2.3 (Treatments unsuitable for children) but did not find them in breach.

Action

No further action required.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Broadcast)