A UK advertising watchdog is to launch an investigation to see whether rules about the objectification, sexualization, and negative stereotyping of women in ads need to be tightened.
According to Telegraph, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has officially announced that they are commissioning new research on the topic and invited members of the public and interested organizations to contact them to share their views on the issue in a bid to gauge public opinion.
ASA chief executive officer Guy Parker stated, "We've already been taking action to ban ads that we believe reinforce gender stereotypes and are likely to cause serious and widespread offense, or harm. That's also why we want to engage further with a wide range of stakeholders on the effect of gender stereotyping on society, including through our call for evidence. I look forward to hearing from stakeholders as this important work progresses," Home BT has cited.
The inquiry stemmed after ASA launched an investigation into an advertisement for Protein World after a campaign last year asking the public if they were beach body ready was labelled as sexist and body-shaming.
The said ads first appeared on the London Underground featuring tanned bikini-clad models against the slogan, 'Are you beach body ready?', were condemned by thousands and prompted a mass demonstration in Hyde Park, The Guardian has learned.
ASA has cleared the campaign of breaking rules despite of almost 400 complaints about an ad by Protein World. More than 70,000 signatories joined an online petition in favor for the ad to be removed from the billboards.
The advertising watchdog which received more than 37,000 complaints and banned or forced changes to almost 3,500 ads last year stated that it was prompted to start the research project into gender stereotyping in ads following the increase political and public debate on equality issues.
