A PrettyLittleThing advert has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for using sexually suggestive images of a child and referring to her age.
The advertising watchdog ruled the fast fashion retailer used “socially irresponsible” images of 16-year-old model and PrettyLittleThing brand ambassador Alabama Barker by publishing photographs of her in sexually suggestive poses and tight-fitting, revealing clothing.
The images, which the ASA said depicted Barker – who is the daughter of drummer Travis Barker and the step-daughter of Kourtney Kardashian – in a sexual manner, appeared on the retailer’s website in June.
They also appeared alongside text which read: “Channel that teen dream realness with barely-there micro mini skirts.”
The initial complaint said the ad breached advertising regulations by portraying someone who was under 18 in a sexual way.
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PrettyLittleThing confirmed Barker was 16 when the ad was made and said the adverts did not intend to sexualise her. It said the ads carried a message of body positivity designed to empower young women.
The company went on to point out that the ad was approved by 16-year-old Barker, adding that she often poses in a similar style on her own Instagram account.
The ASA upheld the complaint, deeming both the poses and text references to be sexual, while the “teen dream” phrase highlighted her young age.
The watchdog ruled that the ad must not appear in its current form and said: “Given the above, we considered that the ad depicted a person who was under 18 in a sexual way, and we therefore concluded it was irresponsible and breached the code.”
It also told PrettyLittleThing to “ensure future ads did not include images that portrayed or represented anyone who was, or seemed to be, under 18 in a sexual manner”.
PrettyLittleThing declined to comment further.
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