The ad watchdog has cleared a Lingerie Football League TV ad despite complaints it “objectifies” and “degrades” women.
The 30-second spot is a promotion for a Lingerie Football Match in Brisbane last month.
The ad declared “Lingerie football invades Brisbane!” for a 2 June match amid scenes of female footballers posing for the camera clad in lingerie-style uniforms and playing Gridiron.
The Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) received a complaint the ad was “pornographic” and unsuitable for prime-time TV.
“The women were shown wearing lingerie ... [on] prime time TV,” the complainant wrote. “I was concerned about the pornographic material being shown. It is objectifying and degrading [to] women.”
The complainant also expressed concern the event “has a family pass where children aged 2-12 can also be part of [the audience]”.
The advertiser argued the PG-rated ad was not “pornographic” and “adhered to the following advertising codes guidelines”.
“The vision shown is athletes wearing two piece sportswear including boy cut briefs (similar to those worn by Beach Volleyball players or track and field athletes) as worn in all Lingerie Football League Games around the world – playing and promoting the game,” wrote the advertiser.
The ASB ruled the clothing worn by the women in the ad did not breach any advertising codes as they “all appear confident” and “were shown in game situations as well as in other poses and are wearing the attire worn during Lingerie Football League games”.
“The board considered that the game vision and images of the athletes in their uniforms are relevant to the promotion of the athletic event,” the ASB wrote. “The board considered that some people may find the images sexualized but the board considered that the images are relevant to the product and are not inappropriate for the PG audience.”
The complaint was dismissed.
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