US clothing retailer censored for ‘overtly sexual’ advertising

The clothing brand, which has regularly broken advertising rules for using exploitative images of young women, posted six photos of a model in a bodysuit and thigh-high socks on a bed without her face shown, from the front showing her legs open or in a kneeling or reclining position.

Others, which carried text saying the model was a store consultant, showed her wearing only a jumper while her bottom half appeared naked, reclining on a bed with her legs in the air.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) investigated a complaint that the models appeared vulnerable and the ads were offensive because they were “overtly sexual” and objectified women.

Responding to the complaint, American Apparel said it “did its best” to abide by the standards of the industry as well as creating “authentic, honest and memorable images” relevant to its customer base.

The ASA concluded: “We considered there was a voyeuristic quality to the images, which served to heighten the impression that the women were vulnerable and in sexually provocative poses. For the reasons given, we considered the ads were likely to cause serious offence to visitors to American Apparel’s website. We concluded that they breached the code.”

It ruled that the ads must not appear again in their current form and told American Apparel to ensure that its future advertising contained nothing likely to cause serious offence.