We recently shared to Facebook the latest Bondage, Discipline, Dominance, Submission, Sadism, and Masochism (BDSM) style posters hanging in Honey Birdette's shop windows for school holidays. We intentionally added blurred sections across the chest and genital region before posting. As a campaigning movement it is important to our strategy that we alert supporters when there is an ad that needs calling out.
The post read:
Westfield partners with p*rn giant for back to school child grooming - take action!
Content warning - *we have censored the ad
Our Engagement Coordinator Coralie Alison spotted this graphic p*rn themed Honey Birdette ad at a Westfield shopping centre while back-to-school shopping with young children.
The Playboy-owned s*x shop window ad - labelled ‘Stephanie Black’ - features near naked women in cut-out bondage wear that exposes their genital region. One is topless, wearing nipple pasties.
The shopping centre is currently running kids’ school holiday activities and other promos enticing parents to come purchase children’s school supplies.
Last year Ad Standards upheld community complaints against a similar shop window ad for the ‘Stephanie’ bondage range.
*Take action: Tell Westfield to pull Honey Birdette’s BDSM-p*rn themed ad
Contact Westfield ANZ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WestfieldANZ?mibextid=LQQJ4dInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/westfieldanzX: https://x.com/scentregroup?s=21&t=RcbohD8QJxBvbAh0SLE1VALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scentre-group/
Let us know if you get a response.
We then got alerted by Facebook that our post had violated their Community Standards on adult sexual solicitation. We were even warned that our account may be restricted or disabled.
Yet Honey Birdette's post (without blurring) was still able to be up on Facebook for anyone 13 and older to see.
We disagreed with Facebook's decision and asked for an appeal.
Our appeal was reviewed and our original post was found to not be in violation of Facebook's Community Standards and was reinstated.
We (a small charity challenging sexual exploitation) were targeted by Meta (a trillion dollar company) whilst Playboy owned sex shop Honey Birdette wasn't.
We have also lodged a complaint with Ad Standards and will update our supporters as soon as the Panel makes a determination. We encourage all community members concerned about the pornification of shop front window displays to write to their Shopping Centre management and to lodge their own complaint with Ad Standards. You can lodge a complaint here.
See also:
Honey Birdette has violated the advertising Code of Ethics 69 times. See our past campaigns here.
Sign the petition - STOP Honey Birdette using porn-style advertising in your family friendly shopping centres.
Add your comment