Five adverts from Chinese online marketplace Temu have been banned in the UK by the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) for ‘sexually graphic’ ads – one of which depicted a child.
Showcased across a regional online newspaper, a chess website and a language translation website, the adverts were accused of ‘irresponsible and offensive’ images.
One of the offending ads showed a young girl wearing a bikini, in an ‘inappropriate pose’ – one hand on her hip, and the other pushing her hair behind her ear.
Similar sexualised images of women featured in the other offending adverts – often with their faces cut off – accompanied by product listings for items including padded cycling underwear, a woman in a tight-fitting pink catsuit and grey jock straps.
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The ASA received five complaints, which argued that the adverts featured images that sexually objectified a child and women, and they were ‘inappropriately targeted’.
In response, Temu argued the images were ‘not sexual or offensive’, yet acknowledged that the image of the child in the bikini was provided by the seller and violated its marketing policy.
In addition, Temu clarified that their ads were served by Google Ads, and they did not get to decide the specific products advertised in terms of the arrangement or combination of products or websites/apps the ads were displayed on.
Both Bylines Network and the chess website, where the adverts were published, confirmed the adverts the images displayed did not align with their values, and asked Temu to not show similar content again. Bylines Network went further to block the global marketplace from advertising on their platform again.
The ASA concluded that the adverts must not appear again in their current form, telling Temu to ensure that future ads must be responsibly targeted and not present children in a sexual way again.
