Manchester-based online fashion retailer Missguided has had an ad banned for being sexist.
The poster in question featured a model wearing sheer tights, high heels and a blazer with nothing underneath, exposing the side of one of her breasts, and was displayed at train station platforms last November.
It prompted complaints from three parents that it was “overly sexualised” and “objectified women”, which were upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority. Missguided “strongly contested” claims that the poster objectified women and argued it was “in keeping” with similar adverts in the industry.
The company insisted that promoting “female empowerment” was “extremely important” to it and that they designed collections to allow customers to “stand out from the crowd”.
However, the advertising watchdog ruled that the poster breached “harm and offence” rules and banned it.
An ASA spokesman said: ‘The model was wearing a blazer with nothing underneath, which exposed the side of her breast, and which was coupled with sheer tights, sheer gloves and underwear.
“We considered she would be seen as being in a state of undress and that the focus was on her chest area and lower abdomen rather than the clothing being advertised.
“We also noted that her head was tilted back, with her mouth slightly open, and her leg was bent and raised, which we considered was likely to be seen as a sexually suggestive pose.
“We considered that the sexually suggestive styling and pose would be seen as presenting women as sexual objects. Because the ad objectified women, we concluded that it was likely to cause serious offence.
“It must not appear again in its current form. We told Missguided Ltd not to use advertising that objectified women and which was likely to cause serious offence.”
A second advert for the online fashion retailer, which featured the same model wearing a pink wrap mini-dress showing her legs and cleavage, was cleared of breaching rules. The advertising regulator said the poster was “no more than mildly sexual”.
Missguided had another poster banned by the ASA last October. A television advert for the clothing retailer broadcast on ITV during Love Island “presented women as sexual objects” and was branded “irresponsible” and “highly sexualised” by the ASA.
Missguided was founded in 2009, originally being based in Salford before moving operations to Trafford Park in 2015.
