ASA Says Pants To Poster Complaints

The ASA has chosen not to censure poster ads for Calvin Klein and Dolce & Gabbana underwear despite complaints that they were “indecent” and “offensive”.

Those objecting to the ad for Calvin Klein, which featured a man wearing nothing but a pair of underpants, did so on the grounds that it was sexually suggestive and demeaning to men. The advertisers denied the accusations and argued that they were merely promoting their product in the same way as other clothing companies.

The ASA agreed and despite noting that the complainants had been offended by the ad, considered that it was nether explicit nor demeaning to men. The authority dismissed the complaints and concluded that the poster was unlikely to cause serious offence.

Dolce & Gabbana also courted controversy with its bus shelter ad, which showed a semi-naked man and a woman each holding the waist band of each other’s pants as if to remove them. Complainants objected that the poster was offensive and unsuitable for children.

Again the advertisers contested the claims, arguing that the image was one of love and tenderness between a man and a woman. They asserted that the couple did not intend to remove each other’s underwear and claimed that the poster was not offensive because it did not depict a sexual act.

The ASA noted that the image was typical of the type used for advertising underwear and dismissed the complaints on the grounds that the poster was unlikely to cause widespread offence.

ASA: 020 7580 5555 www.asa.org.uk

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