Missguided advert exposing model's chest banned for 'objectifying women'

An advert for online retailer Missguided has been banned for "objectifying" women.

The poster, seen on railway platforms in November, featured a model sultrily posing in black sheer tights and an open black blazer while topless underneath.

It received complaints from three parents - which were upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) - that it was "overly sexualised" and "objectified women".

In response, Missguided said it "strongly contested" claims that the poster objectified women.

The Manchester-based clothing retailer argued that the poster was "in keeping with industry norms and similar ads in the fast-fashion industry".

It also insisted that promoting "female empowerment" was "extremely important" to the company, which designs clothing to make customers "stand out from the crowd".

But the ASA ruled that the poster breached "harm and offence" rules and subsequently banned it.

The advertising watchdog said the model would be seen as "being in a state of undress" and that "the focus was on her chest area".

It also noted that the model's "head was tilted back, with her mouth slightly open, and her leg was bent and raised, which we considered was likely to be seen as a sexually suggestive pose".

The ASA concluded: "We considered that the sexually suggestive styling and pose would be seen as presenting women as sexual objects. Because the ad objectified women, we concluded that the ad was likely to cause serious offence."

It advised the retailer that the advert must not appear again in its current form.

Meanwhile, another Missguided poster that drew complaints was found not to have breached advertising codes.

The ad, which was seen on the London Underground last November, featured the same model wearing a plunging pink wrap dress which showed her legs and cleavage.

However, the watchdog said the pose adopted by the model was "no more than mildly sexual" and that it was "in keeping with how the dress would ordinarily be worn".

It continued: "While we acknowledged that some people might find the ad distasteful and the clothing revealing, we considered that the ad was unlikely to be seen as overtly sexual or as objectifying either the model in the ad or women in general and we therefore concluded the ad was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence."

It is not the first time a Missguided ad has been banned by the ASA - with an advert for ITV Hub during Love Island being pulled last October.

Last month, an advert by fellow online fashion retailer Pretty Little Thing was banned by the UK's advertising watchdog for being "overly sexualised".