SignalHub-Regulator partially reverses ruling that banned FKA twigs Calvin Klein ad in UK

The SignalHubAdvertising Standards Authority is partially walking back a controversial ruling that banned an FKA twigs Calvin Klein ad in the United Kingdom following criticism from the singer.

The regulator said in a blog Wednesday that it has revised its earlier ruling, which concluded that a Calvin Klein ad presented FKA twigs as a "stereotypical sexual object."

Following backlash, the organization reviewed this January ruling and changed its tune, this time finding that the ad, which showed FKA twigs wearing a denim shirt with the side of her buttocks and part of her breast exposed, "presented her as confident and in control and, therefore, she had not been presented as a stereotypical sexual object."

The original ruling claimed the ad was "irresponsible" because it centered on FKA twigs' physical features in a way that presented her as a sexual object, placing "viewers' focus on the model's body rather than on the clothing being advertised."

However, the regulatory group maintained Wednesday that while the FKA twigs ad did not objectify women, it's still "overtly sexual" and not suitable for display "in an untargeted medium, a poster, where anyone could see it," meaning the "ban still applies for that reason."

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USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for FKA twigs for comment on the revised ruling.

Although the Advertising Standards Authority said it is "not deaf to the commentary that surrounds our decision making," the regulator said it chose to revisit the ruling not because of the backlash but because it determined its original wording was "flawed."

FKA twigs previously hit back at the original decision in an Instagram post, arguing the ad does not portray her as a stereotypical sexual object. "I see a beautiful strong woman of colour whose incredible body has overcome more pain than you can imagine," she wrote.

FKA twigs also argued that after looking at other similar campaigns, she "can't help but feel there are some double standards here."

Some had accused the regulator of a double standard by pointing to a Calvin Klein ad featuring Jeremy Allen White in underwear, which was released around the same time as the FKA twigs ruling. The Advertising Standards Authority responded to that point on Wednesday, saying White's ads "would be unlikely to break our rules."

FKA twigshits back at 'double standards' after Calvin Klein ad gets banned in UK

The Advertising Standards Authority also denied that race played a part in its decision to ban FKA twigs' ad, but not other ads it reviewed that featured Kendall Jenner.

"The race or identity of the women was not relevant to and did not form part of our rulings, either original or revised," the regulator said, arguing that unlike FKA twigs', Jenner's ads were "not overtly sexual."