Beyonce ad is "too sexy"

A perfume advertisement featuring Beyonce has been banned during daytime TV for being unsuitable for young children.

The ad, featuring various scenes of the pop star dancing seductively in a revealing dress, was too "sexually provocative" to be shown before 7.30pm, the Advertising Standards Authority said.

The ASA received 14 complaints that the ad was offensive and unsuitable for broadcast when children might be watching.

Defending the ad, perfume company Coty said it was not overtly graphic or explicitly sexual, adding that Beyonce was not naked at any point.

It said the ad was aimed at a young adult audience and was consistent with, if not less graphic than, many music videos.


Clearcast, which approves ads before screening, said it had restricted the ad from being shown during or around programmes aimed specifically at young children.

The ASA rejected complaints that the ad was offensive, saying it did not include any explicit sexual content or images of the singer completely naked.

However, it noted several complaints that children had seen the ad during the middle of the day around family programmes.

"Although we considered that the ad was unlikely to be harmful to adults or older children, we considered that Beyonce's body movements and the camera's prolonged focus ... created a sexually provocative ad that was unsuitable to be seen by young children, the ASA said.

"We considered that the ad should not have been shown before 19.30 due to the sexually provocative nature of the imagery."

(c) Sky News 2010