Live from the PMA: Dove TV Spot Rejected for its ‘Implied Nudity’

UPDATE: This was in today's Promo Xtra and certainly changes this story:

An item in the March 24 edition of PROMO Xtra reporting from the Promotion Marketing Association conference incorrectly described the Federal Communications Commission's involvement in preventing the latest Dove ad from airing on broadcast television.

Ogilvy & Mather clarifies that the ads were never shown to the FCC, and the FCC never asked for edits. The ads were shown to the broadcast networks and it was the networks that came back to Ogilvy & Mather Chicago asking that the ads be re-cut. The stations explained to Ogilvy & Mather Chicago that the ads would not be able to run due to the FCC's implied nudity regulations. The ads are, however, running in several other countries as part of the global campaign.

Interesting story from a few days ago about the Dove Pro Age ads. I’ve been amazed lately to be watching TV and hearing all kinds of language and seen all kinds of violence & near-nudity. But these ads offend the FCC. We’ve really got to get it together in this country. Ever since Nipplegate, we’ve gotten a little crazy in this country. I think that the folks at Dove were extremely nice to the FCC. I would have been saying something about how with all of the sex & violence on the TV, this is something that upsets them? An ad campaign that endeavors to show real people instead of just showing perfect little models, in their size 0 clothing? Something, that while it may still be an ad for a product that they want us to buy, is trying to do deliver the message in a new and positive manner. Come on FCC, lighten up already. Life is too short and we should all be looking for new ways to deliver good messages!

Dove could not run on American television its latest commercial featuring unclothed women over 50 because the broadcast networks believed it violated the Federal Communications Commission's "implied nudity" regulation, revealed Maureen Shirreff, group creative director of Ogilvy & Mather Chicago.

She noted that the spot can be viewed on the Dove Web site and is also being broadcast around the world.

"They [the networks] wanted to see some presence of clothing," Shirreff said. The networks were very nice and supportive of the brand and the ads, but understanding the FCC's implied nudity regulations the networks explained to Ogilvy & Mather Chicago that the ads would not be able to run.

Link: Live from the PMA: Dove TV Spot Rejected for its ‘Implied Nudity’ .

Link: Dove.

Link: Dove® | pro·age™ ads.