A nudie bum promotional campaign by Lush cosmetics has caused quite a stir, with several shoppers claiming that the image is “pornographic.”
The image which promotes body diversity, with an underlying message of using less packaging in products, used an array of curvaceous women with no retouching or airbrushing – real butts highlighting real issues.
After a series of complaints from concerned mothers who appear to find the thought of their children seeing bottoms offensive, the advertising watchdog has insisted the image by taken down from all Lush stores.
“It was placed at a child’s eye level in a shopping centre. It shows naked women touching other naked women and it is shown in a public place,” one official complaint said according to news.com.au
“I was unable to shield my children from exposure to this advert as it was on a poster in the centre aisle of the shopping centre. When I contacted Lush, they said that the women in the photo consented so it was OK — I’m sorry but I never consented for myself or my children to be exposed to nudity on our weekly shopping trip!”
The image was to promote ‘nude’ or non packaged products and the company used members of their own team who were fervent about the effects of packaging on the environment, but also body confidence and diversity, two points that appear to be missed by those that find the image to be sexual and suggestive.
“The image in the window is a body positive reference to this fact, and is not in any way intended to cause any offence or upset,” the company said in response to the complaint.
“The women in the images are members of the Lush team, who felt strongly about this issue and volunteered to be part of our campaign … The photos are shot not to titillate, but with the utmost respect for these wonderful human beings and their commitment to this cause.”
The Go Naked campaign campaign received a landslide of support on social media thanking the company for ” standing up for women’s natural bodies.”
“Its impact on me was so great that while in the shower, it made me cry,” a woman wrote on Facebook.
“I have spent a large majority of my adult life hating my body and your poster made me feel good. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing this.”
Peta Granger, Lush Australia’s, said that although this particular advert has been pulled it would not affect the future direction of the brand.
“All of us who work for Lush were incredibly proud to stand by this campaign,” Ms Granger said.
“We received a handful of complaints internally, which is pretty tiny compared to the thousands of message of support, praise and ‘likes’ from parents, teachers and retailers — let alone the hundreds of thousands of people who walked past our 39 windows over the three-week campaign.”
