ASA Ruling on La Senza UK Ltd
La Senza UK Ltd
Capital House
120 Bath Road
Heathrow
UB3 5AN
Date:
6 February 2013
Media:
Ambient
Sector:
Unknown
Number of complaints:
1
Complaint Ref:
A12-214569
Background
Summary of Council decision:
Two issues were investigated of which both were Not Upheld.
Ad
A poster, displayed on a bus, featured an image of a woman wearing a bra with her hands on her hips. Text stated "SEXY IS BACK … THE NEW LA SENZA OPENS NOV.12 484 OXFORD ST."
Issue
The complainant challenged whether the ad was:
1. likely to cause serious or widespread offence; and
2. unsuitable to be displayed where it could be seen by children.
CAP Code (Edition 12)
Response
La Senza UK Ltd (La Senza) said that any advertising they carried out needed to reflect the products that they sold and effectively target their core purchaser, namely women between the ages of 18 and 30, with an average age of 23. They said the model used was 23 years old, there was no nudity and she was posed in a non-seductive, yet fun, manner. They said they appreciated that the image used may not be to everyone's taste but they felt they had taken every measure to ensure that the image was responsible and targeted their core audience. With regard to the phrase "sexy is back", they said that, in the context, this did not immediately have sexual connotations, but was intended to describe something that was attractive and desirable, like their lingerie products.
Assessment
1. Not upheld
The ASA noted there was no explicit nudity in the image and that the ad was for lingerie. Because the image clearly related to the product being sold, we considered that those who viewed the ad were less likely to regard it as gratuitous or offensive. We considered that the model's pose and facial expression were no more than mildly sexual and that the strapline was light hearted in tone. Whilst we acknowledged that some viewers might consider the images distasteful, we concluded that the ad was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence.
We investigated the ad under CAP Code (Edition 12) rule 4.1 (Harm and offence) but did not find it in breach.
2. Not upheld
We acknowledged that the model was wearing a bra and displaying her cleavage, alongside a strapline that included the word "sexy". However, because the ad was for an underwear range and the image was no more than mildly sexual, we considered that the ad was not unsuitable to be displayed where it could be seen by children and concluded that it was not socially irresponsible.
We investigated the ad under CAP Code (Edition 12) rule 1.3 (Social responsibility) but did not find it in breach.
Action
No further action necessary.
