Sex, sexuality and nudity

The AANA Code of Ethics prohibits the harmful use of sex, sexuality or nudity in advertising.

Advertisers must treat sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the audience that will view or hear the ad and avoid the use of overtly sexual images in public spaces with a broad audience. 

Section 2.4 of the AANA Code of Ethics states: 

Advertising shall treat sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant audience.

Relevant audience is the audience that will see the advertising through media placement and targeting.

The Community Panel will consider the audience or readership composition data for the relevant media. For example, OzTAM data can be used to inform the Community Panel that the relevant audience for commercial free to air and subscription television is grocery buyers between the ages of 20 and 35.

In the case of social media, the Community Panel considers the opt-in nature of the medium and the age-gating which may apply to some social media sites in determining the relevant audience. ClearAds rating and the program the content was seen in or the time it was seen may also be used to inform decisions.

For more information and guidance on the portrayal of sex, sexuality and nudity in advertising read the AANA Code of Ethics: Practice Note and the Guide to overtly sexual imagery in advertising. 

Examples of previous decisions

Product relevance

The Community Panel has found a breach of Section 2.4 (Sex, Sexuality and Nudity) of the Code of Ethics in the following cases:

• The use of overtly sexual imagery to promote unrelated products.  
  • Suit Supply – 0062-21
  • With Jean – 0069-21
     
• Ads for lingerie that are overly sexualised and not appropriate for a broad audience.
  • Honey Birdette – 0330-21, 0331-21, 0332-21, 0065-22, 0136-22
  • Shein – 0049-22
  • Bendon Ltd – 0194-22, 0195-22
     
• Ads for sex products or services that are are overly sexualised and/or depict a high level of nudity.
  • Honey Birdette – 0078-19, 0047-20
  • The Firm Gentlemens Club – 0185-19, 0217-21
  • Crazy Horse Revue Pty Ltd – 0186-19, 0119-20, 0097-20
  • The Palace – 0228-19, 0246-19
  • ContextLogic – 0313-19
     

The Community Panel has found the following ads not to breach Section 2.4 (Sex, Sexuality and Nudity) of the Code of Ethics

• Ads for sex products, venues and services where the level of sex, sexuality and nudity used is not considered inappropriate for the audience.
  • It’s Normal – 0288-21, 0297-21
  • Daily Jocks – 0349-21
  • Wild Secrets – 0158-22
  • Gotham City – 0177-22
  • Magic Touch – 0213-22
     
• Ads for weight loss products, cosmetic surgery or similar services that depict people in limited clothing to highlight the services they offer and where the ad is not overly sexualised.
  • Chemist Warehouse – 0129-20
  • Cosmetique – 0315-20
     
• Ads for sexual performance enhancers, if they are not overly explicit and are not inappropriate for the relevant audience.
  • Pilot Men’s Health – 0234-21
     
• Ads for lingerie where the images are not overly sexualised and do not use inappropriate nudity or exposure.
  • Bras n’ Things – 0029-22, 0030-22, 0178-22, 0179-22, 0218-22
  • Honey Birdette –  0175-22, 0156-22, 0163-22, 0164-22, 0165-22
  • Hanes Brands Inc – 0118-19, 0254-19, 0394-19
  • Cotton On Group – 0065-20, 0051-21
  • Alibaba Group – 0138-22
     
• Ads that depict people in the clothing being sold, where ads are consistent with fashion advertising and not overly sexualised.
  • Pretty Little Thing – 0017-20, 0068-20, 0073-20
  • G-Star RAW – 0040-21
     
• Promotion or discussion of sexual health and reproductive matters when discussed with sensitivity.
  • Asaleo Care – 0202-21
     

​​​​​Humour and sexual innuendo

The Community Panel has found a breach of Section 2.4 (Sex, Sexuality and Nudity) of the Code of Ethics in the following cases:

• Ads which are able to be viewed by children where sex, sexuality and nudity is not treated with sensitivity, regardless of humour used.
  • Wicked Campers –  0002-21

 

The Community Panel has found the following ads not to breach Section 2.4 (Sex, Sexuality and Nudity) of the Code of Ethics:

• Ads with mild sexual references which would not easily be understood to be sexual by children.
  • Conga Foods – 0218-20
  • Pilot Men’s Health – 0234-21
  • Sojo Pty Ltd – 0253-21
  • Universal Hotels – 0014-22
  • Pedal This Performance and Conversion – 0022-22
     
• Ads which use double entendre, where a non-sexualised explanation of the meaning would be understood by children.
  • Frucor Beverages Australia – 0111-19
  • Cece Crash Repairs – 0226-19
  • Asahi Premium Beverages – 0304-19
  • The Man Shake – 0037-20
  • Menulog – 0220-20
     
• Ads that contain a high level of sexualised content which is limited to an adult or older teenage audience.
  • Hard Fizz – 0235-21
  • Better Brewing Co – 0325-21
  • Grill’d – 0346-21
  • Big W – 0093-22
  • Botanika Blends – 0096-22
     
• Ads with humorous, mild sexualised themes.
  • Yum Restaurants International – 0049-20, 0130-20, 0131-20, 0139-20, 0028-21
  • Mosh – 0322-20
  • Lifestyle Communities – 0357-21
  • Koala Sleep – Pty Ltd – 0358-21
  • Wynstan Blinds – 0059-22
     

Nudity

The Community Panel has found a breach of Section 2.4 (Sex, Sexuality and Nudity) of the Code of Ethics in the following cases:

• Explicit nudity in a medium which is likely to be seen by children.
  • One Night Woman – 0161-20
  • Sydney Forklift Trucks – 0166-21
  • Honey Birdette – 0178-21
     
• The use of naked or semi-naked people in a sexualised pose, even if there is no explicit nudity.
  • Honey Birdette – 0103-19, 0218-19
  • The Firm Gentlemens Club – 0097-20
  • Catch Group – 0150-20 
     
• The use of naked people, even when the advertising is not sexually suggestive, may be considered inappropriate if able to be viewed by a broad audience including children.
  • Sportsbet – 0116/18 
     
• Explicit simulated depictions of genitalia.
  • ContextLogic – 0076-20
  • Australian Research and Space Exploration – 0270-21
     

The Community Panel has found the following ads not to breach Section 2.4 (Sex, Sexuality and Nudity) of the Code of Ethics:

• The suggestion of nudity but where the people featured are adequately covered or silhouetted.
  • Grosvenor Hotel – 0157-21
  • Westpac Group – 0290-21
  • General Pants Group – 0296-21
  • Binge – 0008-22
  • PVH Brands – 0128-22
     
• A higher level of nudity in mediums which are unlikely to have a young audience.
  • Amazon Prime Video – 0216-20
  • 69Slam – 0341-20
  • Adidas Australia Pty. Ltd. – 0042-22
  • Museum of Old and New Art – 0080-22
  • Cotton On – 0232-22
     
• Showing people in the shower, bathroom or applying fake tan, where there are no breasts or genitals visible.
  • Metricon Homes – 0030-19
  • Naked Tan – 0107-20
  • AVIS – 0370-20
     
• The depiction of people’s bodies and bare skin for toiletry products, where the images are not sexualised.
  • Parfums Christian Dior – 0046-19
  • Shiseido Fragrance Division – 0015-20
  • SOJO – 0224-20
  • Modibodi – 0298-20
  • Brand Developers – 0051-22, 0052-22
     
• Showing men without shirts on, which is only mildly sexualised.
  • Shiploads – 0170-19
  • Road Safety Advisory Council – 0327-19
  • Shopback – 0374-19
  • ACMN – 0053-21
     
• The depiction of nudity in a tasteful manner, related to the artistic product or service being promoted.
  • Museum of Old and New Art – 0080-22
     
• The use of nudity in a humorous, not sexualised manner, where people are still covered appropriately.
  • Tasmanian Bakeries – 0190-19
  • Sydney Water – 0330-19
  • Amazon Prime Video – 0330-20
  • Sportsbet – 0342-20
  • Mitre 10 Australia – 0119-22
     
• Women and men in swimwear, where poses are not sexualised, especially in conjunction with beach, pool or fitness activities.
  • Exclusive Tyre Distributors Pty Ltd – 0371-19
  • TATA Global Beverages – 0372-19
  • Tesalate – 0011-20
  • Ultra Tune – 0051-20, 0062-20
  • Australian Avocados – 0127-21 
     

Suggestive phrases and acts

The Community Panel has found a breach of Section 2.4 (Sex, Sexuality and Nudity) of the Code of Ethics in the following cases:

• Highly explicit or sexual content even in a medium that is restricted to older audiences.
  • WWWave Corporation – 0072-20
  • ContextLogic – 0076-20     
  • Darra Tyres – 0087-20     
     
• Highly explicit or sexual content in public places which are likely to be viewed by broad audiences including children.
  • Wicked Campers – 0120-19, 0064-20, 0077-20
  • Honey Birdette – 0091-20, 0147-21
  • Sax Fetish – 0142-21
     

The Community Panel has found the following ads not to breach Section 2.4 (Sex, Sexuality and Nudity) of the Code of Ethics:

• Couples, including same-sex couples, kissing or embracing where no private parts are visible.
  • Koala Sleep – 0103-20
  • Honey Birdette – 0180-20, 0181-20
  • eHarmony – 0103-21
  • Mars Wrigley – 0279-21
  • Stan – 0106-22
     
• The use of factual sexual language or imagery to promote health products or social messaging.
  • Thorne Harbour Health – 0038-19, 0135-19
  • Victorian Department of Health and Human Services – 0272-20
  • Genea – 0350-20
  • Lifestyles Healthcare – 0199-21
  • It’s Normal – 0288-21
     
• Sexualised themes or words are appropriate when care is taken to ensure these ads take into account the sensitivity of the relevant audiences.
  • Crazy Maple Studio – 0004-21
  • MTV – 0009-21
  • Nine Network Australia – 0070-21
  • Kogan Technologies – 0085-22 
  • Pernod-Ricard – 0141-22
     

Sexualisation of children

The Community Panel has found a breach of Section 2.4 (Sex, Sexuality and Nudity) of the Code of Ethics in the following cases:

• Sexualisation of minors or models who could be easily perceived as a minor. 
  • Fachat – 0054-20
  • ContextLogic – 0017-21
  • Grill’d – 0276-21
  • Shein – 0139-22
     

The Community Panel has found the following ads not to breach Section 2.4 (Sex, Sexuality and Nudity) of the Code of Ethics:

• The use of adults and children to show a fashion range will not be considered inappropriate, where the children are not depicted in a sexualised manner.
  • Target Australia –  0365-19
  • Best and Less – 0336-19
     
• Ads that include images of infants or young children in swimwear or underwear where the images do not employ sexual appeal, the tone of the ad is innocent, the children are appropriately covered or genitals are not visible, and there is no undue attention on the child’s body.
  • LJ Hooker Mona Vale – 0202-19
  • Bayer Australia – 0400-19, 0274-20 
  • Rusty – 0044-22
     
• Ads that use an adult model that may look like a teenager that is not sexualised and appropriate for general audiences.
  • Roc Boots – 0040-20