Topic: ASA

The UK’s ban-happy Advertising Standards Authority set its sights on American Apparel today, banning a total of eight ads for being “gratuitous…pornographic and exploitative.” In other words, for being American Apparel ads. “The complainant” also said that the ads “inappropriately sexualised young women,” a statement that the ASA decided they agreed with in regards to eight of nine images the complainant brought to their attention.

Interestingly enough, the ASA also objected to the amateurish quality of the photos, saying that in “the particular context of images which featured nudity and sexually provocative poses, there was a voyeuristic and ‘amateurish’ quality to the images which served to heighten the impression that the ads were exploitative of women and inappropriately sexualised young women.” I’m similarly creeped out by these kinds of images, but is that (very subjective) response enough to warrant censorship? Take a look at them and see what you think. (Note: there are only seven images because out of the eight banned ads, two used the same image.)(NSFW!) More »