Britain’s advertising regulator prohibited a Demi Lovato poster promoting her most recent album because it was “likely to cause severe offense to Christians.”
Before it was outlawed last summer, the banner advertising the US singer’s new album Holy F*ck in the UK was seen all over London.
The title of the upcoming album is scrawled across the image of the original artwork, which features Lovato lying on a giant crucifix while dressed in a bondage-inspired attire.
However, the Advertising Standards Authority, ASA, has officially rejected the poster after predicting that it would offend visitors due to its association of the crucifix with s*xuality.
After receiving complaints from four members of the public about the poster, which was visible in August at several locations throughout London, ASA opened an investigation.
The album’s title, Holy F*ck, appeared beneath an illustration of the album cover on the poster.
In a leather bondage-style costume, Lovato was pictured sprawled across a vast padded crucifix.
In its report released on Wednesday, the ASA stated that the complainants “questioned whether the advertisement was likely to cause significant or widespread offense,” and some added that it was “irresponsibly positioned” in an area where children might view it.
The watchdog looked into the complaints and upheld their claims, concluding that the language and imagery used were likely to offend people seriously.
The posters, which appeared on six separate websites and were taken off after four days, were defended by Polydor Records, a branch of Universal Music Group, as predominantly featuring album art for the singer.
Polydor Records further denied that the posters were objectionable.
‘We decided that the image of Ms. Lovato locked up in a bondage-style attire while lying on a mattress fashioned like a crucifix, in a position with her legs bound to one side which was reminiscent of Christ on cross, along with the allusion to holy f*ck was likely to be perceived in that context as tying s*xuality to the sacred symbol of the crucifix and the crucifixion, and was therefore likely to be viewed as causing offense to christians. Despite being misspelled, most readers would understand that the ad related to the words holy f*ck’.
The subject matter of Lovato’s eighth album, released in August, includes addiction to drugs and alcohol.
She was motivated to write “Skin of My Teeth” after experiencing many strokes and brain damage from an overdose in 2018.
She stated that she was sober throughout the album recording, something she is “very proud of,” on the “Spout” podcast.
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