Watchdog will not investigate French Connection fighting women ad

by Ben Bold, Brand Republic 24-Feb-06, 15:30

LONDON - French Connection's risque TV ad, which showed two women fighting and kissing, will not be investigated by the Advertising Standards Authority despite attracting 127 complaints.

A spokesman for the ASA said yesterday that the watchdog was still considering whether to investigate any breaches of its regulations.

However, today he said it had been decided that there were no grounds for a formal investigation and that the post-9pm broadcast restriction was adequate.

Complainants were particularly critical of the violence portrayed in the ad. The commercial ends with one woman headbutting the other and features martial arts-style kicks and punches. Viewers were also concerned about the sexual content.

The ad, by Beattie McGuinness Bungay, was embroiled in further controversy last week when dance act Groovecutters said the creative was an almost scene-for-scene "rip off" of the video for their top 40 hit 'We Close Our Eyes', which was released in January last year.

It emerged the ad was directed by the same person, Duncan Jones, and was, in fact, a shot-for-shot remake using the same location.

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