The UK fashion label Jaded London has had an advertisement banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for "glamorizing smoking." The label, which boasts celebrity fans including Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and Kylie Jenner, ran a campaign earlier this year that featured a model in a pink backless minidress posing near a scooter while holding what appeared to be a lit cigarette.
The advert was used in an email marketing campaign sent to customers in May to promote the brand's summerwear line. A complaint was filed by a member of the public who noted the model was holding a cigarette in the image.
The ASA investigated the complaint and determined that the advertisement breached its rules on promotional material and could not be shown in its current form. Investigators stated that the "fashionable and attractive" model, combined with the glossy image, made smoking appear "appealing" and was "irresponsibly glamorized." The advertisement was also seen as depicting an "aspirational holiday lifestyle."
Jaded London disputed the findings, arguing that it was not clear the model was holding a cigarette due to its slim size. The company also contended that the cigarette did not appear to be lit as no smoke was visible, and it was not the primary focus of the ad, which highlighted the model's clothing and accessories.
However, the ASA reviewed other versions of the advertisement, including a video shared on Jaded London's Instagram, which appeared to show the model taking a drag from the cigarette and holding it to her lips. Other social media posts from the brand also showed models with cigarettes. While the ASA confirmed these additional videos and posts were not part of their investigation, they informed Jaded London that future advertisements must be socially responsible and avoid glamorizing smoking.
The ASA concluded that by associating the image with smoking, the ad presented it as appealing, thus irresponsibly glamorizing it and breaching advertising standards. Jaded London has since assured the ASA that it understands the need to avoid images of models holding cigarettes and has pledged not to use smoking to promote its clothing in the future.
Founded in 2013 by siblings Jade Camber and Grant Goulden, Jaded London has grown significantly, reportedly turning over £1 million by 2016 and reporting £6.39 million in pre-tax profits on £50 million of sales in the past year. A notable early success for the brand was when Taylor Swift wore its sequinned bomber jacket during her 2015 '1989 World Tour.'