ASA Upholds Complaint Against Calvin Klein
The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint against a Calvin Klein perfume poster on the grounds it was sexually suggestive.
The poster depicted semi-naked models kissing, whilst holding a bottle of the perfume, and was similar to previous Calvin Klein poster campaigns.
The ASA received a total of 35 complaints about the image, both from members of the public and from the Association of Orthodox Jewish Educational Institutions. The complainants objected to the sexual explicitness of the image and expressed concern that it could be seen by children.
The advertisers pointed out that sexual images were commonly used in advertisements for perfume and that the human body was more explicitly depicted in works of art and sculpture.
The ASA ruled the poster was likely to cause serious or widespread offence and was unsuitable to be seen by children. It warned Calvin Klein not to use similar images again.
In recent years Calvin Klein advertising campaigns have become synonymous with controversy and Klein has been labelled the shock advert poster child of his generation. The most infamous was a US campaign for children’s underwear in 1999 which was withdrawn after accusations it verged on child pornography.
ASA: 020 7580 5555 www.asa.org.uk
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