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Dakota Fanning’s Marc Jacobs Ad Banned for Being Too Racy

11/09/2011 at 12:00 PM ET

Dakota Fanning Oh, Lola
Courtesy Marc Jacobs

Dakota Fanning‘s latest role has received a big thumbs-down in the U.K.

The actress’s recent magazine ad for Marc Jacobs’s Oh, Lola! perfume is too suggestive, Britain’s advertising watchdog has ruled, and must be pulled immediately, the BBC reports.

The ad in question shows the 17-year-old American actress in a thigh-length dotted dress with an oversize flower-topped bottle of Oh, Lola! resting between her legs.

The U.K.’s Ad Standards Authority determined that “the length of her dress, her leg and position of the perfume bottle drew attention to her sexuality. Because of that, along with her appearance, we considered the ad could be seen to sexualize a child.”

The ASA ruled that the ad was irresponsible, likely to cause “serious offense,” and must not appear again.

Coty UK, the maker of the perfume, had argued that the image was “provoking but not indecent.” On Tuesday, Marc Jacobs released a statement, calling the banning “unfortunate.” He wrote:

“It was our pleasure to work with Dakota Fanning for the Oh, Lola! campaign. She is a smart, pretty, interesting, talented young woman and we would never have suggested an advertising concept that we thought was inappropriate. I believe she is also very thoughtful about the projects she takes on and would not have done something that she felt was in questionable taste. It’s really unfortunate that people have taken anything negative from what we believe is a really good campaign and one that so perfectly embodies the fragrance.” Tell us: Do you think Fanning’s ad is too racy for print?

–Tim Nudd

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yvonne on

I wouldn’t let my teenage daughter appear in an ad situated like this. Her dress is hiked up in back, she’s leaning back with this thing right smack between her thighs. It is slightly too sexualized for comfort. They’ve straddled the line because they know better than to have it be too naughty with a girl this age but the intent is there. Anyone who can’t see the thought process behind it is naive. There were a hundred other ways to put her and they chose this one, come on! Use your brains people.

Mara on

have any of you ever been to the UK? Clearly not. The ads over there are much racier than this. She’s nearly 18, which is a lot older than a lot of fashion models out there who show a lot more than this. Just because they aren’t known for being child stars doesn’t mean that they are over 18.

atypical on

this article does bring up a good point though.
we abhor sexual abuse crimes against children, but many ads often look to exploit the youngest possible models and their sexuality.
don’t even get me started on the toddler beauty pagents.
we’re a pretty strange species. . .all things considered.

Dee on

It’s not the way she’s dressed. It’s the position of the bottle. If it were placed in front of her instead of between her legs, they could have gotten away with it. Ultimately, they’re getting what they want anyway, free press for their product. Way to go ad standards authority! Now it’s out there for the world to see as opposed to just the UK! LOL Way to not bring attention to her “sexuality”!

Jennifer on

I don’t like the ad and it is very suggestive and she is a minor. I really don’t think the girl is very attractive or talented either so I guess I just wouldn’t like the ad period. Maybe another actress. She is a bore and over popularized and pretty darn unattractive

TB on

Yes, she is a very beautiful girl, however why couldn’t they put the bottle off to the side or somewhere other than between her legs, that is to me, what makes it too racy.

TEWLUP on

ok. it’s obvious they were going for the whole innocent young girl look and she is holding a FLOWER in her private area AND the perfume is called Oh Lola!… Please, for those of you who don’t get it, think about it. It’s obvious they were trying to be subtle about it but it didn’t work.. move on, she’s 17!.. try something else…

Zinia on

of course it was too racy! they did the right thing…

SRich on

The girl is a minor in a suggestive pose. She has a giant phallic perfume bottle positioned right on her crotch – not around it, not to the side of it, but on it. I know fashion, but this just another example of how the industry cons us to think that this is ok. The clever people at Marc Jacobs knew exactly what they were doing and frankly, it’s unoriginal (see Calvin Klein, 1995)

JB on

atleast they take into mind what might be sexual! if they think it is, then so be it. all they have to do is change the position of the bottle to say, like beside her.

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