THE ADVERTISING Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) has upheld complaints against Hunky Dorys crisps over its notorious advertising campaign featuring scantily clad female rugby players.
The authority said the ads had caused “grave and widespread offence” and constituted a “grave breach” of provisions of the advertising code.
This followed a previous ruling by the authority that the advertisements, which were withdrawn on an interim basis in May, should not be published again in any media.
Authority chief executive Frank Goodman said it was awaiting further information from Largo Foods, the distributors of Hunky Dorys, Tayto and King crisps, to determine “the total reduction in exposure per site per day”.
Largo is expected to submit this information in the next few days, at which point the authority’s board will meet to discuss the possibility of a fine against the company, although financial penalties in relation to advertising are rare.
The company could also be required to submit all future ads for “copy advice”.
The crisp ads featured posters of female rugby players in scant sports strips. In one, a woman in a low-cut top revealing a high proportion of cleavage appeared over the strap line: “Are you staring at my crisps?”
Among the complainants who contacted the authority in relation to the ad were the Rape Crisis Network of Ireland, which said the campaign “was unhelpful in terms of building a society that is free from sexual abuse and violence”, while the Union of Students in Ireland and support group Renew also lodged complaints.
Individual complainants said the images had “nothing whatsoever” to do with crisps, and were used to treat women as sex objects, while others complained they were demeaning to women who participated in sports.
Responding to the complaints, Largo defended its “light-hearted, funny and enjoyable campaign that had received unprecedented support throughout the country, particularly in such difficult economic times”, adding it was never its intention to cause offence.
It noted that the photographs had been taken by Walter Iooss, a renowned and respected sports photographer.
The company said it had removed 90 per cent of the posters within three working days “in deference” to the authority and the IRFU, which contacted Largo Foods through its solicitor on the basis that the ads implied the company was a significant sponsor of Irish rugby.