Meta targets Collective Shout while Honey Birdette gets free pass
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=LQQJ4d
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westfieldanz
X: https://x.com/scentregroup?s=21&t=RcbohD8QJxBvbAh0SLE1VA
LinkedIn: 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.
Read moreAd Standards panel Chair makes solo decision to approve Honey Birdette's revealing crotch ads
Refuses to submit complaints re porn styled image for review
Read moreKeep the pressure up
The petition calling on shopping centres to take action on Honey Birdette's porn-themed ads has garnered over 70,000 signatures. Keep the pressure up!
Sign the petition here.
Read moreLetter to Westfield...The majority of shoppers in your establishment are women. Respect them.
From Amanda:
Read moreScentre Group and Honey Birdette Advertisements in Westfield Retail Space: Eight examples of Inconsistency
1) Scentre Group promotes awareness and supports victims of domestic violence
Read moreHoney Birdette breach ad standards again. Westfield must act!
The Ad Standards panel have again determined that Honey Birdette's latest poster is in breach of the advertising code of ethics. The posters have been hanging in major shopping centres around the country in direct view of families and children.
Read moreUrgent call to action
An urgent call to action on Westfield Shopping Centres:
Read moreWestfield CEO Responds: Not in a position to implement change
Westfield CEO responds: is not in a position to implement standards for advertising in Westfield shopping centres.
Read moreWestfield remains quiet while Honey Birdette ex-employees continue fight
Current and former employees of Honey Birdette continue to fight back against the company over poor work conditions and sexual harassment.
Read moreCalvin Klein at it again
*Update* Calvin Klein remove sexualised advertisement
"Hi there,
Thanks for your patience with this matter. We hope you can understand our need to balance both the rights of the retailer with the needs of the community.We shared these concerns with Calvin Klein, and are pleased to report that they have replaced that particular artwork with alternate imagery overnight.
We do value community feedback and we're pleased to have been able to work with the retailer to address these concerns.
Kind regards,
Westfield Chatswood"
This picture outside a Calvin Klein store in a Westfield Shopping Centre was recently brought to our attention.
Read more