Kate Beckinsdale too hot? Pernod Ricard wins right to appeal
Liquor giant Pernod Ricard has one the right to appeal an Advertising Standards Authority decision that an Absolut Vodka ad featuring actress Kate Beckinsdale (below) was too sexually charged, breaching ASA guidelines. Pernod Ricard duly dispatched
Cole Slawson
Fri, 08 Oct 2010
Liquor giant Pernod Ricard has one the right to appeal an Advertising Standards Authority decision that an Absolut Vodka ad featuring actress Kate Beckinsdale (below) was too sexually charged, breaching ASA guidelines.
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Pernod Ricard duly dispatched lawyers to challenge the July 9 minority decision.
Today, the ASA announced that the legal counsel's arguments had convinced it that an appeal was warranted.
The authority's initial description of the advertisement emphasised its saucier elements.
But the ruling released today played down and contextualised the image:
"The Appeal Board accepted that the model’s dress and pose was in keeping with the retro 1960’s theme rather than being a pose or an image that glamorised a liquor product. The Appeal Board also noted the theme of 'Twist' was represented by the model being twisted in a pose on the floor of the room."
Further: "The Appeal Board unanimously agreed with the majority of the Complaints Board, that the advertisement was not sexually provocative or suggestive nor did it suggest any link between liquor and sexual attraction or performance."
The appeal has been allowed to proceed.
If the ASA does ultimately rule that the Kate Beckinsdale ad is not sexually provocative, it will put her in good company.
The original July 9 ASA ruling did not up-hold a similar complaint against a second ad in the Absolut series, featuring Zooey Deschanel (below) - which, apparently, was not hot enough to breach the authority's guidelines.
Although, just quietly, NBR thought it was hotter:
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Cole Slawson
Fri, 08 Oct 2010
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