Claim that Smithwicks ad appealed to children rejected by ASAI

Complaints against two adverts which sexualised women have been upheld by the advertising watchdog.

However, a complaint that a brewer’s advert was aimed at children was rejected.

A two-minute video on the Newbridge Silverware website for the eShe Jewellery range generated a complaint that the imagery used was based on sexual images of women and was promoting women in a sexual way rather than promoting the jewellery.

The sole complainant considered the poses, facial expressions, and clothing worn by the model in the video were all objectifying woman in a sexual way.

In one of the scenes, a model wearing a kimono was leaning against a table with her head tilted backwards while, in another scene, the model was sitting in the couch wearing a strapless dress and, while her legs were not visible, it was obvious they were spread apart as one leg was raised into the camera range.

Newbridge submitted it was never their intention to objectify women as they are their primary target market for the product range. The jewellery range is targeted at the 25-35 age brackets, which is younger than their target customer of over-35. The video was compiled to show the movement of the jewellery and to showcase the collection. Newbridge said it did not consider the campaign had caused widespread offence.

Upholding the complaint, the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland said one complaint had been received, but it considered the poses by the model “were overtly sexual in nature and were therefore provocative”. The advert, it said was exploitative of sexuality and in breach of the code.

A complaint was made against the House of Tiles and Bathrooms after an ad appeared in the provincial press which featured a woman wearing two tiles in a similar fashion to a bikini top.

The complaint that the ad was inappropriate and offensive was upheld in the absence of a response from the advertiser.

Meanwhile, a squirrel on a Smithwicks TV advert has been given a reprieve after the ASAI said it did not consider the advertisement was in breach of the code which prohibits marketing of alcoholic products to children.

However, the Authority warned advertisers generally of the need for caution when using animals in ads involving alcoholic drinks.

Alcohol Action Ireland had complained the TV ad by Diageo-Smithwicks, which shows a squirrel on his own in a brewery at night, was directly appealing to children. Diageo submitted the squirrel was deliberately designed to look old, wizened, and dishevelled and the animation was not cartoonish but had an older edge to it

Deciding the ad had not breached the code, the ASAI complaints committee said it did not consider the portrayal in this case would have an appeal to children and took account of the aged image of the squirrel, the adult music, and dark background.