Ryanair schoolgirl ad criticised

[Lee Macro]

Ryanair schoolgirl ad criticised

A model posed in a classroom in the controversial Ryanair advert

Budget airline Ryanair has been told to withdraw an advert featuring a model in schoolgirl-style clothes and a headline "hottest back to school fares".
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the "irresponsible" image appeared to link teenage girls with sexually provocative behaviour.
The advert shows the model with a bare midriff in a short skirt, tie, shirt and knee-high socks in a classroom.
Ryanair refused to withdraw the image and said the ruling was "censorship".
The advert, which was printed in three newspapers reaching 3.5 million readers - the Herald, Daily Mail and Scottish Daily Mail - publicised flights from £10 one way.
'Widespread offence'
It prompted 13 complaints to the ASA from readers who found it offensive and, after an investigation, the watchdog ruled the advert breached the advertising code's rules on social responsibility and decency.
"We considered that her appearance and pose, in conjunction with the heading 'Hottest', appeared to link teenage girls with sexually provocative behaviour and was irresponsible and likely to cause serious or widespread offence," the watchdog said.
The ASA told Ryanair to withdraw the advert and ensure its future promotions complied with the advertising code.
This isn't advertising regulation, it is simply censorship


Peter Sherrard
Ryanair


However, the airline said the model's clothing reflected what was currently fashionable among young women and that the number of complaints was insignificant compared to the three newspapers' combined readership.
Ryanair also said its advert was considerably less suggestive than some others appearing in the media.
"It is remarkable that a picture of a fully-clothed model is now claimed to cause 'serious or widespread offence', when many of the UK's leading daily newspapers regularly run pictures of topless or partially-dressed females without causing any serious or widespread offence," said Peter Sherrard, head of communications for the airline.
"This isn't advertising regulation, it is simply censorship. This bunch of unelected self-appointed dimwits are clearly incapable of fairly and impartially ruling on advertising."
Mr Sherrard added that Ryanair believed the advert was not irresponsible nor offensive and would therefore "not be withdrawing this ad" and would "not provide the ASA with any of the undertakings they seek". The Herald, which received a complaint from a reader, said they were not prepared to run it again. The Daily Mail and Scottish Daily Mail had not received any complaints from readers but said they would not run the promotion again.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7216926.stm

Quite a nice looking advert if you ask me!!

[inspectercoley]

Another deliberate way to get free publicity. Just like last year with the 11th commandment. pfft.

Anyone got a bigger pic of the ad?

[SiE]

Anyone got a bigger pic of the ad?

Yep, in my head and Its doing very naughty things

[Mickey]

Come on someone out there must have a bigger picture

[Lee Macro]

This is the best I could find so far

[Mickey]

I wonder which way she would go for a tenner

[gatch.]

i think it's a splendid ad and if you dont like it dont look at it!
spoilsports!

[evilsatan]

The majority of teenage girls I know and grew up with were sexually provocative

[super mike]

it is simply censorship. This bunch of unelected self-appointed dimwits are clearly incapable of fairly and impartially ruling on advertising

Good on that man

[doughboy]

Is RyanAir saying that all schoolgirls are good for f*)king...If not can they state ages on their ads.

I assume they don't include prep school, 1st/2nd/3rd/4th formers...5th years maybe and def 6th formers.

[Freddy]

It was alright for Britney Spears to dress up like that and record company make dollars from it.

[Over Carl]

Funnily enough, that is exactly what I thought.

[marcode]

This isn't advertising regulation, it is simply censorship. This bunch of unelected self-appointed dimwits are clearly incapable of fairly and impartially ruling on advertising.

what an excellent and entirely accurate descripton of the ASA.

ryanair dont take shit off no one lol