London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan Bans Negative Body Image Ads

London’s first Muslim mayor Sadiq Khan has ordered for banning of all such advertisements that promote a unrealistic and negative body image on the Transport for London (TfL) network.

In his election manifesto the mayor had pledged to ban such ads that encouraged unhealthy body images.

Last year an ad by Protein World sparked complaints to watchdog Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). It carried a campaign asking women if they were “beach body ready.”

Following the complaints, about 400, Khan pledged to remove all such in his manifesto.

The social media too have been regularly flooded with complaints of similar ads in Tube stations. However, the ASA had earlier ruled to some of the ads as not offensive and not irresponsible.

Khan now has upheld what he pledged and has set up his own ads steering group to advise the partners about new policy.

Khan said, “As the father of two teenage girls, I am extremely concerned about this kind of advertising which can demean people, particularly women, and make them ashamed of their bodies. It is high time it came to an end.”

Meanwhile, the TfL commercial development director Graeme Craig said ads on their network are unlike print, television and online media. Viewers here cannot turn a page or switch off if they don’t like or if the ads are upsetting and offending.

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