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Renault's YouTube ad banned for 'portraying women as sexual objects' Renault's YouTube ad banned for 'portraying women as sexual objects'
(2 months later)
The advertising watchdog has banned a Renault advert featuring scantily-clad dancers, ruling that it objectified women.The advertising watchdog has banned a Renault advert featuring scantily-clad dancers, ruling that it objectified women.
The YouTube ad for the Renault Clio featured young people taking the car for a test drive in London, who find themselves transported to Paris scene when they push a button on the dashboard labelled "Va Va Voom".The YouTube ad for the Renault Clio featured young people taking the car for a test drive in London, who find themselves transported to Paris scene when they push a button on the dashboard labelled "Va Va Voom".
Among various stereotypical French scenes, a group of women are shown wearing burlesque-style lingerie and gyrating and dancing around the car and drivers.Among various stereotypical French scenes, a group of women are shown wearing burlesque-style lingerie and gyrating and dancing around the car and drivers.
One woman blows a kiss to the driver; the dancers then walk away to reveal a billboard that read "Reignite your Va Va Voom".One woman blows a kiss to the driver; the dancers then walk away to reveal a billboard that read "Reignite your Va Va Voom".
The Advertising Standards Authority received a complaint that the ad was offensive and objectified women.The Advertising Standards Authority received a complaint that the ad was offensive and objectified women.
Renault UK said that the ad was a parody of French culture and that the dancers were a reference to Moulin Rouge, a "rhythmical send-up of the burlesque style", and were not overtly sexual. It added that the video had been watched more than 3m times on YouTube and it was unaware of any other complaints.Renault UK said that the ad was a parody of French culture and that the dancers were a reference to Moulin Rouge, a "rhythmical send-up of the burlesque style", and were not overtly sexual. It added that the video had been watched more than 3m times on YouTube and it was unaware of any other complaints.
However, the watchdog said that it was concerned that the ad featured "a number of shots of the women's breasts and bottoms, in which their heads were obscured, and which we considered invited viewers to view the women as sexual objects".However, the watchdog said that it was concerned that the ad featured "a number of shots of the women's breasts and bottoms, in which their heads were obscured, and which we considered invited viewers to view the women as sexual objects".
The ASA said it was also concerned that the choreography, dress and facial expressions of the dancers were sexually provocative.The ASA said it was also concerned that the choreography, dress and facial expressions of the dancers were sexually provocative.
"We considered that the ad objectified the dancers by portraying them as sexual objects and that it was therefore likely to cause serious or widespread offence," the watchdog concluded."We considered that the ad objectified the dancers by portraying them as sexual objects and that it was therefore likely to cause serious or widespread offence," the watchdog concluded.
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