M&S ad ‘too sexy’ rules watchdog

More than a dozen parents complained that two racy M&S adverts – featuring scantily clad models – were offensive because they were “overtly sexual” and likely to be seen by children.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) partly upheld the complaints and ordered M&S not to place one of the posters in areas they were likely to be seen by youngsters.

The ASA cleared one of the adverts, but found the other – featuring a woman wearing stockings, kneeling on a bed with her legs apart – to be in breach of regulations covering “social responsibility”.

Nine people objected that the first adverts was offensive because they believed the images were overtly sexual and objectified women.

M&S said it did not believe the adverts were offensive, overtly sexual or objectifying.

It said that the adverts simply featured the product, a lingerie range, and that the company was well known as a lingerie retailer.