Ad Standards have chastised Honey Birdette after its shopfront advert was deemed to be “overtly s*xual” and in breach of advertising standards.
(Lead Image: Honey Birdette Instagram)
The shopfront advert, titled ‘Stephanie Black’ shows two women clad in strappy leather lingerie, with one of the women wearing nothing on her breasts aside from nipple covers.
Based on a 21st February ruling, the advertising watchdog decided to uphold a complaint made by a member of the public on the basis that it breached Section 2.4 of the AANA Code of Ethics.
Ad Standards said the images were “overtly sexual” and not appropriate for a relevant broad audience which would include children.
Ad standards made the decsision after a member of the public complained that its shopfront position in Westfield meant it could easily be viewed by children walking by.
“I was walking through the shopping centre with my three-year-old daughter and confronted with huge posters with p*rnographic ads on them. Why should a three year old little girl be exposed to nipple covers when we are off to buy swimming toys for the pools? Black leather straps, chokers, buckles and studs. A large amount of the woman’s breast were showing and her underwear had lots of gaps. This is not okay in a family-friendly shopping centre in January school holidays no less. I feel like Honey Birdette are now making a mockery of this system and I’m really angry that thousands of children are being impacted as a result”.
“The advertising is of sexually explicit material in a shopping centre environment where young children and teenagers shop and will view this material. These are porn-inspired ads that feature representations of women in various states of nakedness. They do not belong in the public space at family shopping centres where non consenting community members – including children- are forced to view them.
“I believe the advertising in the Westfield stores are too raunchy. I have 4 young children and I believe the poses and pictures are too risqué. If I were to purchase their lingerie and walk through westfields shops with them on, or pose like the do in their window shop pictures. I’d be arrested by security. If that is the case then they shouldn’t be advertising like that”.
Ad Standards agreed that the advert did breach the code partially due to the level of breast shown in the image.
“The panel noted that the woman on the right had the majority of her breasts exposed, with the nipples covered by gold pasties, and that this was a high level of nudity”.
The panel also noted that the advert’s position meant that children walking past the shop would be able to see the image.
This is the 68th time a complaint against Honey Birdette has been upheld, last year a group of parents even protested outside of its store in response to its raunchy campaigns.
