Newly-appointed London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has issued a new advertising policy that will see all ‘body-shaming’ ads banned on the TfL network.
Following on from a pledge he made in his mayoral campaign, Khan said he was “extremely concerned” about some of the advertising that appears on the London underground and at bus stops – especially when it comes to the portrayal of women.
“As the father of two teenage girls, I am extremely concerned about this kind of advertising which can demean people, particularly women, and make them ashamed of their bodies. It is high time it came to an end,” Khan said.
“Nobody should feel pressurised, while they travel on the Tube or bus, into unrealistic expectations surrounding their bodies and I want to send a clear message to the advertising industry about this.”
The new policy, which will come into effect next month, will not include all images of people in their underwear or swimwear; however, it will mean that controversial ads such as Protein World’s ‘beach body ready’ campaign, which garnered almost 400 official complaints and 70,000 signatures in an online petition, will not be allowed to run.
Transport for London runs around 12,000 ads a year and is expected to generate more than £1.5 billion in revenue over the next eight and a half years; however, the move is expected to have little impact on its income.
TfL’s commercial development director, Graeme Craig, said: “Advertising on our network is unlike TV, online and print media. Our customers cannot simply switch off or turn a page if an advertisement offends or upsets them and we have a duty to ensure the copy we carry reflects that unique environment.
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“We want to encourage great advertising that engages people and enhances the transport network.”
Earlier this year, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), announced that it is launching an investigation into gender stereotyping in ads in an effort to tackle growing issues around objectification and body image.
“As a proactive regulator, we want to find out more about these issues,” the ASA said.
“Consequently, we will be doing three things: examining evidence on gender stereotyping in ads, seeking views from a range of stakeholders, and commissioning our own research into public opinion.
“We’re serious about making sure we’re alive to changing attitudes and behaviours.”
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