No Added Sugar - childrens wear, I was so disappointed

[MascaraOHara]

I saw the catalogue and was, quite frankly, disgusted by the pictures.

Have this been done before?

yuk yuk yuk is all I can say, that is a horrible site

Why do the sexualize kids that way? I'm going to send in a complaint.

it is vile, absolutely vile and unnecesary.....reminds me of the minipops......

so nasty..these are children. being sexualised...someone in their marketing department has seriously misjudged this campaign

I've compained to noaddedsugar. Will also complain to ASA

I am writing to express my utter disgust at the pictures used to advertise your current collection both on the website and your printed brochure. Perhaps the most disturbing pictures are the one of the "cardi" girl spread-eagled on the back seat of a car and the "dress" girl on all fours with her dress hitched up.These are bordering on pornographic and are completely unacceptable for child models. The image of the boy made up in a "Clockwork Orange" style is also astoundingly inappropriate given the nature of the film.

I am aghast that anyone with children can think these are appropriate images for children to be posing for, let alone to advertise a range of children's clothing.

I've just filed my (long) complaint with the ASA too.

does anybody expect a response and if so can you let us know if you get one..

thanks

I've had an email from the ASA saying my complaint has been passed to a Complaints Executive and that I will receive a full reply in due course. I have a case number too so I can keep track of it.

I'll post it here when it arrives.

I've had the same as NorksBride

did you email them..I suspect they would be quite pleased to get this reaction

It's horrible. The dress one is particularly vile.

Have no problem with children moddeling clothes at all, but not in this way - horrible, horrible, horrible. Why do the parents even allow it, let alone the ompany, the photographer, etc?

Where are you reading all the slogans though - I can't see those on the website. Is it just in the catalogue?

I've emailed the ASA, these are VILE. Anyone going to email them a link to this thread?

actually I think many of the posters on this thread were prime target market

as long as there's no media furore created and they do not get mass exposure then I don't think it actually will have done them any good at all

OK, I've written to noaddedsugar too telling them I think their ads are horrible.

I think their market is pretty much the urban kate moss/Docherty ripple..media/arty types

It won't do them any good because I won't buy from them and neither will most people on this thread, they've just pissed off a section of their target market.

Plenty of media types on here too Zippi

WWW - Someone emailed them a link to this thread earlier.

Oh sorry, only skimmed it! Oh well, they've got 2 copies now!

I've had a response from the ASA, letter reads thus;

Dear Mrs .....

Thank you for your recent complaint. I am sorry that this advertisement has caused you concern.

I am sorry to tell you that we cannot deal with your complaint because the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing can only be applied to some items on websites. These are:

online advertisement - in space that has been allocated by the website owner to a third party, e.g. banner and pop-up advertisements

sales promotions - wherever they appear online, including within organisations' websites or e-mails. (Examples of sales promotions are free gifts and prize competitions; price cuts are not regarded as sales promotions).

The Code does no apply to other parts of companies' websites because, in effect, they are either forms of editorial material (which the ASA has never interfered with) or are marketing material that consumers have chosen to access in much the same way as they would walk into a shop and ask for information (The ASA has no power to regulate in-store displays etc.).

We are however already investigating the exact same images with the hardcopy of the brochure and we expect the results to be published very soon.

The ASA website, www.asa.org.uk, contains information about the ASA and the work we do, including the results of our investigations into recent complaints about advertisements. Please ee the above website to look for the outcome of this case.

Yours sincerely

Jodie Parsons
Complaints Executive

Great to hear that they are already investigating the brochure!

Apologies for typos - I'm rushing because it's school run time.

So anyway, the ASA are looking at the catalogue photo's - if anyone complained just about those can they report back to this thread when they hear the result. Tia.

Otherwise, I'll check the ASA website from time to time.

I got the same letter as Norksbride in the post today.

i got it yesterday

For update - see this thread