Ad description
A TV ad, for Tesco F&F clothing range, cut between a woman and a man wearing different clothing in each shot and included the woman in a bikini and cut-off shorts. The models were shown either posing or moving around, including the woman rolling on the floor. The woman lip-synched to the song played throughout the ad, which included the lyrics "I want your touch. I want your body. I feel the heat. It's you, it's you I want tonight. The heat is on. I want you here tonight. I feel the heat".
Issue
Thirteen viewers challenged whether the ad was inappropriate for broadcast before 9 pm, particularly at times when children could be watching.
Response
Tesco Stores Ltd said the ad was approved without a scheduling restriction, because Clearcast believed that the scenes were in keeping with an ad for a summer range of swimwear clothing and was suitable for broadcast at anytime. They agreed with Clearcast that a scheduling restriction was not necessary.
Clearcast said careful consideration was given to the content of the ad. It was intended to showcase the summer clothing range and the attire of both the male and female models was in keeping with summer wear and not gratuitous. There were no inappropriate lingering shots of either the male or female body and any exposed flesh was shown at a distance and not excessive.
Clearcast said although there was some mild flirtation between the male and female models, it was not sexually suggestive. They acknowledged that the song lyrics were open to mild sexual interpretation, but the references to 'heat' were also entirely in keeping with an ad for summer wear. They considered that the ad was neither sexually explicit nor suggestive, and believed the ad did not need a timing restriction.
Assessment
Not upheld
The ASA considered that, in the context of an ad for a summer clothing range, it was not inappropriate to feature the models in shorts, loose fitting tops and swimwear. The woman's outfits were not particularly revealing, other than the two piece swimsuit, which exposed more of her body than the other garments, but nonetheless there was no sexual connotation attached to the item of clothing. The majority of the models’ poses were traditional catwalk positions and others, such as the woman rolling on the floor, were only mildly sexual in nature and unlikely to be understood by children.
Although the lyrics of the song were open to mild sexual interpretation, we considered that very young children would be unlikely to understand that allusion and the song was not unsuitable for older children, many already likely to be familiar with the song and its dance based lyrics.
We considered that the ad was neither sexually explicit nor suggestive, and was unlikely to cause harm to children or to a more general audience. We therefore concluded that the ad was suitable for broadcast before 9 pm.
We investigated the ads under BCAP Code rules 4.1 4.1 Advertisements must contain nothing that could cause physical, mental, moral or social harm to persons under the age of 18. and 4.2 4.2 Advertisements must not cause serious or widespread offence against generally accepted moral, social or cultural standards. (Harm and offence) and 32.3 32.3 Relevant timing restrictions must be applied to advertisements that, through their content, might harm or distress children of particular ages or that are otherwise unsuitable for them. (Scheduling), but did not find it in breach.
Action
No further action necessary.
