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ASA makes a boob?

Posted in Advertising, Creative, Branwell Johnson, Latest reporters' blogs February 1st, 2008 by Branwell Johnson

Ryanair has hit out at the advertising watchdog using typical blustering and colourful language after one of its ads, featuring a model posing as a schoolgirl, was banned. Typical posturing from O’Leary’s airline driven by paranoia and the need for publicity at any cost? Or does Ryanair have a (dubious) point?

There’s no deep insight into the use of sexually provocative imagery in marketing in Ryanair’s argument for its picture of posed jailbait. Instead the airline is just arguing for consistency in how standards are applied. It said that its imagery was merely of a woman wearing the type of clothing popular with young women.

The ASA batted aside the defence and said it was irresponsible and linked teenage girls and sexually provocative behaviour.

But if Ryanair’s looking for consistency maybe it should check out the ruling by the ASA on the infamous easyJet “Weapons of Mass Distraction” ad from 2003. that depicted a pair of bikini-clad breasts – no face or body – completely objectifying the woman’s anatomy.

And it made light-hearted reference to the rather controversial conflict going on in Iraq. What did the ASA do? It cleared the ad saying it wasn’t demeaning to women but “light-hearted and humorous” and it “did not trivialise the deaths, injuries or plight of those involved” in the Iraq war.

Hmm… personally I’m still left scratching my head as to why the easyJet ad was passed and the Ryanair one wasn’t. The former did receive 186 complaints and the latter 13. Anyone able to posit some theories?