The makers of Hunky Dory crisps have been rapped by the advertising watchdog over their controversial campaign involving scantily clad female rugby players.
The billboards drew over 300 complaints from both men and women arguing that they were offensive, exploitative, tasteless and degrading.
The controversial posters featured female rugby players in a number of poses including straplines like “Are you staring as my crisps?”.
The common theme running through most of the complaints was that the campaign was offensive, exploitative, tasteless, degrading and sexist towards women.
Following that deluge Largo Foods voluntarily took down the posters but argued the campaign was designed to be “entertaining” and “timely” with a sporting angle.
They argued that they had received unprecedented support from the public including requests not to withdraw the campaign.
But the Advertising Standards Authority found they were “in grave breach” of their code and should not be published again in any media including the advertisers’ website.
