Zeeman Goes Naked

A television commercial for women's underwear by Dutch retail chain Zeeman shows women in underwear in all kinds of situations. Women’s buttocks are prominently featured. Complainants find the commercial women-unfriendly, sexist and too naked for a time slot at which children also watch TV. They also complain that Zeeman encourages women to spread erotic selfies. The complaints raise the question whether the commercial is contrary to good taste and/or decency. The Advertising Code Committee (ACC) rejects all complaints.

The ACC rules that the (almost) naked buttocks in this commercial have a function: promoting women's underwear. Therefore there is a link between 'nudity' and the product. The fact that one of the women takes a picture of the panties she is wearing does not suggest that the picture will be forwarded. According to the ACC, the commercial creates the impression that the woman uses her phone as a mirror to see how the panties look. The ACC considers the commercial not contrary to good taste or decency.

These decisions confirm the assessment framework of the ACC: when nudity has a function in relation to the advertised product or service, there is less chance of a conflict with good taste and/or decency. A billboard displaying scantily dressed women washing a car is not functional for the services of a car wash. The ACC considers this contrary to good taste and decency. This also applies to the advertisement of Garage Petersen: "Getting through the winter without a slip" in combination with a picture of a woman taking off her slip is not functional for the sale of winter tires. A picture of a woman in lingerie for the dating site Novamora is functional, because of the exciting character of the service. The ACC does not consider this contrary to good taste or decency.