The following is a complaint to Ad Standards we received from a supporter. The complaint was made in response to a Bras N Things advertisement featuring a woman wearing nothing but lacy panties and in bold red font, the words “THE TAKE IT ALL OFF SALE.”

After years of Collective Shout campaigning, the Advertising Standards Board has announced long awaited changes to the AANA Code of Ethics regarding the use of sexual appeal in advertising.

Figure 1: An example of sexually exploitative advertising permitted in public spaces under the current system.

Previously, under section 2.2 of the code, advertisements were in breach if they were found to be both exploitative and degrading. An advertisement deemed simply exploitative was not in breach. From March, updates to the code mean the use of sexual appeal in advertising cannot be exploitative or degrading.

Collective Shout welcomes this revision of the code. While this is a positive step, there is much more still to be done in order to effectively regulate sexist and sexually objectifying advertising.

25 Reasons Why Ad Industry Self-Regulation is a Disaster

While the ASB claims most companies comply with advertising codes and rulings, we’ve spent years documenting and exposing serial offenders such as Honey Birdette, UltraTune and Wicked Campers - companies who continually exploit the weaknesses in the current system of self-regulation to promote their products and services. There is still a long way to go, and we’re not backing down any time soon.

Read the ASB’s media release in full.

See also:

Why is the advertising industry still promoting violence against women?

Collective Shout community responds to ASB failures

Ad watchdog in Australia a dismal failure – ASB “failing to protect children”, says President of Australian Medical Association

“The Board noted the images featuring a topless model next to an elephant. . . . and considered that the model’s nipples are not visible and while there is no need for the model to be topless this is not of itself a breach of the Code.”

The final decision came down to whether a finger hooked in the side of a g-string was “part of the woman’s pose” or intended to look like she's pulling them down

"the placement of the advertisement in food court area of a shopping mall means that the entirety of the advertisement would be viewed by people using the food court . . . the content is too sexualised for this broad audience which would include children."

Lingerie retailer Bras'N'Things has been forced to discontinue a Playboy video ad due to its overtly explicit content.

Complaint about porn brand advertising and its impact on children mischaracterised as complainant being "offended by images of lingerie clad women in shopping malls where children can see them."

"The Board noted the women’s nipples are covered"

Click here to read the Ad Standards Board case report