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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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Showing 339 comments

raven on

not at all. i see girls on the street dressed much more provocatively than dakota in this add. much fuss over nothing.

anamaria on

She looks lovely its ridicoulos to ban it from showing.
why dont you do your homework properly and ban the rubbish you allow to be on air, on the magazines, etc.
a young pretty lady come out and you found it suggestive what about the number of boobs bumps you allow. drug addicts you have by the thousands and performing in the UK all the time and which is worse “venerated”

Brad on

The name of the perfume is Oh, Lola! Lola being short for Lolita. Couple the name of the perfume with the image presented and you have a company trying to use a teen’s sexuality to sell cheap perfume. The U.K.’s Ad Standard Bureau was correct in pulling this ad. Apparently there are intelligent people working for the Ad Bureau and saw right through the Nabokov imagery.

Amodis on

I can see how a pervert could construe this as like child pornography. Frankly, given the name Lola, it – as well as her look, evoke Lolita…. Clearly on purpose. While Dakota is not showing too much skin, and indeed looks pretty, her youth and the position of the bottle are provocative to a pervert’s mind. It’s sad that the rest of us have to worry about people out there who prey on kids, but it is an issue.

Susan on

Seriously?? Of all the Ads out there with teenage girls in Bikinis, mini-skirts, and in tiny little short-shorts an people find this offensive? I think some people have way too much time on their hands. Why don’t we get this upset with all the bullying going on, the hate crimes an all the young people commiting suicide….

bea on

Looks like the typical perfume ad to me. Of course one can argue that she just so happens to be “resting” the bottle on her legs but it was obviously strategically placed between her legs with the “come hither” expression. Same old same old.

Splum on

They’re nuts. That’s a pretty tame ad by today’s standards.

Lili on

Don’t see a problem with this at all!

CABL on

What bella said, it’s ridiculous to know that the immediate jump to that was sex…some people.

Guest on

I’m not seeing that at all. The bottle is resting on her legs, not in between. Idiots!!

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