ASA Adjudication on Spark Networks Ltd

Ad

A poster, for a dating website, showed a woman’s torso from the neck down. She was wearing a low-cut top and was leaning forward and holding a pint of beer. Text stated "What's more, she's Jewish Danielle - JDate member JDate.co.uk more of what you’re looking for”.

Issue

1. The complainants objected that the ad was offensive and degrading to women, in particular because it showed the woman's chest but not her face.  Two complainants believed the ad was unsuitable to be seen by children.

2.  Four of the complainants objected that the text "What's more, she's Jewish" was racist and offensive.

CAP Code

Response

1. & 2. Spark Networks Ltd (Spark) explained that JDate was a dating site specifically designed for single Jewish people. They said there was a stigma attached to the traditional opinions of Jewish single life and that their existing members had expressed a desire to see a more diverse variety of single people joining the site.    They explained that the poster campaign was created to get the audience to think about the dating site in a more positive and light-hearted way.

They disagreed that the image was degrading to women or unsuitable for children and said the woman was fully clothed in an outfit worn by many modern women.  They disagreed that the slogan "What's more she's Jewish" was racist or offensive and said, alongside the non-traditional image of a single Jewish woman, it was intended to challenge existing stereotypes.  They explained that the location of the poster targeted the relatively young, urban Jewish community of North-West London and  it aimed to get them to re-appraise their view of JDate.

Spark said they were made aware of some negative reactions to the poster and, although they did not agree that it was offensive, had already replaced it with another poster.

Assessment

1. & 2. Not upheld

The ASA considered that the image of the woman in the low cut top was not sexually explicit and was unlikely to be seen by most as being degrading to women when considered within the context of the ad as a whole.  We considered that the juxtaposition of the image and the strap line "Whats more shes Jewish" would result in most consumers seeing the ad as a tongue in cheek comment about perceptions of single Jewish women and concluded that, although some people might find the ad in poor taste, it was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence or be seen as racist.

On these points we investigated the poster under CAP Code clauses 2.2 (Social responsibility), 5.1 and 5.2 (Decency) but did not find it in breach.

Action

No further action required.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)