Consumer Protection Unit orders fashion chain to take off winter campaign advertisements showing model Jesus Luz with underage girl within seven days.
Meirav Crystal
The Consumer Protection Unit at the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry has ordered fashion chain TNT, of the Honigman company, to remove its winter advertising campaign within seven days, claiming the ads feature a model who appears to be underage along with nudity and sexual innuendos.
Although the ads belong to the winter campaign, they still appear on TNT's website and stores. Meanwhile, the chain has already started advertising a new campaign, which will be posted on its website next week and can already be seen in some of the stores, so it appears the Consumer Protection Unit may be too late.
The reason for the order to remove the ads is a complained filed with the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry by the National Council for the Child. The Council claimed the ads violate Consumer Protection Regulations (Advertisements and Marketing. Methods Targeted at Minors) — 1991, and included a copy of the fashion chain's catalogue with the complaint.
The Consumer Protection Unit looked into the complaint and found that the TNT stores and Honigman's website display ads and/or a catalogue of the TNT brand, which violate Consumer Protection Regulations (Advertisements and Marketing. Methods Targeted at Minors) — 1991.
TNT's winter campaign (Photo: Yariv Fein)
According to Attorney Tamar Pincus, director of consumer protection, "An examination of the company's website reveals clearly that the TNT brand, as well as the advertising of the catalogues and pictures, are directed mainly at teenagers and young adults, who are the chain's main target audience. Clause 3 of the regulations bans advertisements targeted at minors which include nudity or sexual innuendoes.
"The pictures advertised in the brand's stores and website also feature a model posing as an underage girl, while using nudity and innuendo to promote the brand's sales.
"Clause 1 of the regulations determines that a minor is a person under the age of 18. These advertisements targeted at minor violate Clause 3(D) of Consumer Protection Regulations (Advertisements and Marketing. Methods Targeted at Minors) — 1991."
Honigman: Model was 19
The Honigman company said in response, "Honigman is the owner and manager of the Honigman Women and Men, Honigman Kids and TNT brands. Honigman is particularly careful when it comes to obeying the law.
"Although TNT brand attracts a young audience, the consumer profile the company targets is a consumer aged 20 to 30. The company's customers do include younger people, but the company does not target this audience directly or through its advertisements.
"We reject the claim that the model poses as an underage girl, and we would like to stress that the model was 19 at the time the campaign was shot. To dispel any doubt, the billboard signs and store ads included a caption stating that 'the models are adults.'
"Thus, we reject the claim that this is a violation of Clause 3(D) of Consumer Protection Regulations (Advertisements and Marketing. Methods Targeted at Minors).
Regardless of the aforementioned, the campaign mentioned in the letter of complaint is the TNT chain's winter campaign, which will end in the middle of next week, and the pictures will be removed from all points of sale.
"We are certain that our customers will like TNT's 2011 summer campaign, which stars Hollywood actor Verne Troyer, also known as Mini-Me from the 'Austin Powers' movies."
.jpg)
