Britain's Advertising Standards Authority has a long history of ad censorship, especially when it comes to sexual imagery. American Apparel recently found this out firsthand when a series of 8 ads (check it out on The Gloss) featuring scantily clad young women was banned in the UK. The ASA cited "gratuitous nudity" and the "sexualized nature of the pose" as the reason for the ban.
The ASA also mentioned that the amateurish nature of the photos added to the inappropriateness. Interestingly enough though, a half naked ad featuring British golden boy David Beckham made it through, seemingly because it reminded the Advertising Authority less of porn. Despite the ban, the advertisements can be found on numerous websites and even in the American Apparel archives. Praise the internet. [The Cut]
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