Banned beach body ad inoffensive

The Advertising Standards Authority is facing fresh accusations that it is out of touch with consumer attitudes after ruling that the controversial Protein World “beach body ready” poster is not offensive.
The poster, which appeared on the London Underground, attracted 378 complaints to the ad watchdog, and tens of thousands on Change.org.
It featured a slim and toned model in a bikini next to the question “are you beach body ready?” and promoted Protein World’s meal replacement slimming products.
Most of the complaints to the ASA questioned whether the ad implied a body shape different from the model was not good enough and so was offensive or if the combination of the model’s body and the headline was socially irresponsible for an ad for a slimming product.
The ad watchdog banned the poster at the end of April over concerns about the health and weight loss claims made but opened an investigation into whether it was offensive.
The ASA concluded that, although the text encouraged readers to think about whether they were “beach body ready”, it did not imply that body shapes differing from that of the model’s were inferior.
It ruled the ad was unlikely to cause serious of widespread offence.
The ASA also decided that although the ad prompted people to think about their bodies, it was unlikely to shame women into believing they needed to take a slimming supplement. It ruled the ad was not irresponsible.
The ruling contrasts sharply with one for a Buckinghamshire estate agent which advertised its services using an image of bikini-clad women to draw attention to its valuing service. The ad, which ran at the tail end of last year, was slapped down for being sexist and demeaning.

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