‘Sexy’ Jessica Alba ad for Sin City 2 escapes censure
An advert for “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” featuring a scantily clad Jessica Alba has escaped censure after the ad watchdog ruled it was “unrealistic”.
It showed Alba wearing a bra, gloves and suspender-effect tights as she knelt with her knees spread apart and one arm raised over her head.
Complainants challenged whether the image was suitable to appear on the side of buses where it could be seen by children and objected to the character’s “overtly” sexual pose that they deemed degraded women.
The film’s UK distributor Lions Gate argued that the look of Alba’s character was no worse than what is shown in the windows of some fashion retailers. It added that the comic book execution of the ad, designed to emulate the film’s stylistic visuals, was not realistic and therefore would not cause offence.
The Advertising Standards Authority said that while it acknowledged some consumers would find Alba’s appearance distasteful, the image was “no more than mildly sexual” and unlikely to upset most. It also noted that people would understand the image was reflecting the character’s role in the film as a stripper rather than casting a judgement on women in general.
