ASA to get tougher as watchdog bans Lucy Pinder ads for Lynx

23 November 2011


The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a series of internet and poster ads for Lynx shower gel and deodorant featuring Lucy Pinder.

The ASA censored Unilever’s ads for being sexually provocative and possibly demeaning to women. The ASA also ruled that the appearance of the ads on sites such as Yahoo, Spotify and Anorak was irresponsible as they could be seen by children.

According to Nina Best, advertising law expert at Browne Jacobson, the ruling is yet another sign that the ASA intends to get tough with advertisers when it comes to protecting children from sexualised imagery:

“The ASA is taking an increasingly tougher stance when it comes to sexually provocative adverts that could be accessed by children. It has made it very clear that what may be seen as acceptable in a magazine may not be appropriate on a billboard. Much of this concern is driven by parents who are increasingly worried about the images available to their children on the internet and social networking sites.”