Complaints of objectifying women prompt Adidas sports bra ad campaign ban

May 11 (UPI) -- A dozen complaints prompted Britain's Advertising Standards Authority to ban an Adidas ad campaign -- intended to promote diversity of its sports bra range -- for objectification of women.

The ASA reported receiving complaints that the Twitter and poster advertisements objectified and sexualized women by reducing them to body parts.

The campaign in question featured dozens of sets of breasts to draw attention to Adidas's range of diverse sports bra options. Complainants expressed concerns that children could see the ads.

In its defense, Adidas said that none of the ads were displayed on billboards or near religious institutions or schools.

The sportswear company said, according to ASA, that the ads weren't gratuitous and were meant to reflect and celebrate various shapes and sizes while highlighting diversity and the importance of tailored support bras.

None of the models' identities were shown in the ads, as images were cropped for the women's protection.

The ASA concluded that the ads breached Committee of Advertising Practice codes of harm and offense and social responsibility.

"The ads must not appear again in the forms complained of," the ASA said via a statement on their website. "We told Adidas U.K. Ltd to ensure their ads did not cause offense and were targeted responsibly."