Cheeky ad is 'too rude'

The poster showing a line of women wearing nothing but G-strings drew just two complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority.

Both were from Muslim leaders, who claimed the advert could corrupt young men and women of their faith.

The authority agreed with them. And, in a ruling published today, it has for the first time in its 40-year history banned a poster from being displayed near places of worship.

Media clean-up campaigners reacted furiously, however, because the restriction applies only to mosques.

They pointed out that it resulted from just two complaints - from mosques in the North of England - while leaders of Christian churches have complained about lewd advertising for years.

The offending poster, for Sloggi underwear, was seen all over Britain in March and April with the slogan 'It's string time'.

Four models wearing only high heels and G-strings were shown with their backs to the camera, leaving little to the imagination.

One of the posters was put up near two mosques - the Noor-ul-Islam and Khizra - and an Islamic centre in Rochdale Road, Bury.

Another appeared near the Leeds Grand Mosque, in Harehills Road, Leeds.

Today's ruling from the advertising watchdog states: ' The ASA considered that, although unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence in general, the nakedness shown in the poster could cause serious offence to Muslims if placed near a mosque, which was a place of worship.

'The authority told the advertisers to take more care with the placing of similar posters.'

ASA communications chief Claire Forbes said the authority had seen an increase in the number of complaints from many different religious groups.

But asked whether the same poster should be banned from being placed near a church, she said she did not know.

'Different religions find different things offensive,' she said.

John Beyer of the pressure group MediaWatch said, however: 'The same moral view towards indecency carries across all communities.

'For many years, people have been concerned about indecency in advertising. I hope this decision will be applied broadly, rather than narrowly.

'There is no reason to believe that people attending a mosque would be any more or less offended by this poster than someone attending a church, or out shopping or taking their children to school.'

Mr Beyer added: 'Christians are upset by this kind of public advertising.

'I know the ASA has been contacted about just these concerns for many years, yet it has done nothing.

'While we are delighted that Muslims are not going to offended on their way to the mosque, the same rules should apply to Christians going about their daily business.

'Christian sensibilities are just as valuable and valid as those of Muslims.'

Church of England spokesman Lou Henderson said the Muslim faith should not be treated any differently by the authority.

'If we are talking about offensive adverts the rule should apply to all faith groups and their places of worship,' he said.

' It should be applied evenhandedly, without discrimination, across all religions and not just at mosques.'

Muslim objections to the poster were led by Khalid Hussain, a former director of the Bury Racial Equality Council.

'I was inundated with calls from the Muslim community who were very upset at this disgusting advertisement,' he said yesterday.

'The Noor-ul-Islam mosque is nearby. On a number of evenings, mothers take their children there to learn the Koran.'

The advertising campaign was defended by the British underwear manufacturer Triumph, which is responsible for the highly successful Sloggi brand.

Company spokesman Sue Loder said it was very difficult to advertise underwear in a way which does not offend someone.

'The Sloggi campaign for Gstringshas been running for a couple of years. We certainly try not to offend anyone,' she added.

'Certainly this poster was cheeky, if you'll pardon the pun, and meant to be fun.

'There is a serious question about how else you can advertise G-strings. You have to show what they do and what they look like.

'Your advertising can't be too bland. Otherwise you're wasting your money.'