ASB upholds complaints against lingerie brand Lovable

The Ad Standards Board has upheld complaints against Loveables 'Selfies with Besties' ad campaign.

The Facebook ad campaign encouraged participants, including girls aged over 13 years, to upload pictures of themselves 'with their besties' to win a prize. Images that accompanied the campaign included Jennifer Hawkins and other models in their underwear posing for 'selfies.' An accompanying outdoor advertising campaign featured similar imagery on bus shelters and billboards.

While the Facebook ad campaign stated that participants don't need to be in their underwear to enter, the way the ad campaign was promoted and stylised certainly gives that impression. It is on this basis that the Ad Standards Board upheld complaints.

"While accepting the Advertiser’s commitment to refusing to publish inappropriate photos, the Board considered it possible that younger people would see the current advertisement as condoning or at least giving some legitimacy to the behaviour of uploading images of themselves in underwear and that this is a message that the community views as unacceptable.

The Board noted it had recently upheld a complaint against a Mossimo Facebook advertisment (ref 0076/12) which encouraged the uploading of photographs and considered that consistent with its previous determination, in this instance the advertisement depicted material contrary to prevailing community standards on online behaviour and safety and was in breach of section 2.6 of the Code."

Collective Shout had led a campaign against Mossimo clothing. Read about the protest picture uploaded to Mossimo's Facebook ad campaign here.

Further reading:

Ad News: ASB slaps Lovable after child sexuality fears

Smart Company: Bendon runs into trouble for Facebook competition the ASB claims encourages teens to post semi-nude photos