A complaint against Twickenham Brewery’s ‘Naked Ladies’ pump clip has not been upheld by the alcohol industry’s Independent Complaint Panel (ICP), following a complaint from a member of the public. The full decision can be read here.
The complaint raised concerns that the name, branding and design of the pump clip were inappropriately sexualised and could cause offence and embarrassment for customers and staff when ordering the product in a pub or bar, under Code rule 3.3 – causing serious or widespread offence. The Panel did not uphold the complaint.
The Panel discussed the product name ‘Naked Ladies’ and noted the company’s submission that the beer was one of several which it named after local landmarks, in this case a well known and colloquial term used to describe a group of statues in Twickenham. The Panel noted the packaging and company website incorporated descriptive language designed to explain the historical context of the statue, and while limited space on the pump clip didn’t include this – the reference of Twickenham in the company’s name did provide some context.
The Panel also discussed the artwork on the pump clip which depicted one of the referenced local statues. The Panel considered the Portman Group’s accompanying guidance to Code rule 3.3 and noted that to breach the rule in relation to sexual objectification the packaging or marketing would need to incorporate elements that were demeaning, derogatory, gratuitous or overly sexualised. The Panel considered that the design was artistically stylised and akin to art deco, with no identifying detail added to any of the statue’s features or undue focus on its pelvic or breast area.
As such the Panel considered that the depiction of the statue and the name ‘Naked Ladies’ did not cause serious or widespread offence. Accordingly, the complaint was not upheld under Code rule 3.3.
Chair of the Independent Complaints Panel, Rachel Childs said: “It’s vitally important under the Code that producers ensure their products do not cause serious or widespread offence and in relation to sexual objectification, that they don’t incorporate elements which are demeaning, derogatory, gratuitous or overly sexualised. In this case, the Panel concluded that the overall impression of the Naked Ladies pump clip did not fall foul of the Code and did not uphold the complaint.”