Most days, the British populace is exposed to a smorgasbord of advertisements they would happily ban. Annoying, patronising, stupid or all three – there’s no shortage of work deserving the chop. But here’s a campaign that actually has been removed from the public arena by the usually soft and frequently toothless Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

It’s a campaign by the slightly low-profile clothing brand, Jack Wills. The label makes and sells togs in a style the Americans would call ‘preppy’. That is to say, it is influenced by the traditional garb of U.S. college students and is rather smart and utterly inoffensive. But their recent advertising has attracted complaints and ultimately an out-and-out ban for the use of under clad models depicting a ‘hedonistic university lifestyle’ – deemed unsuitable for youngsters.

(more…)