Demi Lovato poster banned for being offensive to Christians

A poster of Demi Lovato wearing a bondage-style outfit and lying connected a crucifix-shaped furniture has been banned for causing offence to Christians.

The rubric of the singer's caller medium intelligibly alluded to a curse connection and, unneurotic with the image, linked sexuality to a ineffable symbol, the UK's advertizing watchdog found.

Polydor Records said it was artwork designed to beforehand the medium and did not judge it to beryllium offensive.

The poster received 4 complaints.

It was removed aft 4 days.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it had received complaints relating to the "image of Ms Lovato bound up successful a bondage-style outfit whilst lying connected a mattress shaped similar a crucifix".

The vocalist was "in a presumption with her legs bound to 1 broadside which was reminiscent of Christ connected the cross," it added.

Together with the medium title, which is simply a play connected a curse word, the ASA recovered the poster was "likely to beryllium viewed arsenic linking sexuality to the ineffable awesome of the crucifix and the crucifixion". This was apt to origin superior offence to Christians, it said.

Demi Lovato's eighth album, released successful August 2022, documents her analyzable travel done intoxicant and cause addiction, intelligence wellness issues, attraction and recovery.

She started penning it aft a voluntary stint successful rehab successful December 2021 and told the BBC: "I'm not playing popular euphony anymore. This is simply a stone album."

It showed the vocalist dancing astir burning crosses and kissing a achromatic Christ-like fig successful a church. In 1992, her Erotica video saw her banned from the Vatican and the video could lone beryllium shown successful the aboriginal hours.

The ASA besides received complaints that the poster promoting Demi Lovato's medium was irresponsibly placed wherever children could spot it.

It was enactment up successful six places crossed London earlier being taken down connected 23 August 2022.

The ASA recovered that the rubric of the medium would beryllium wide to astir readers that this alluded to a curse word.

As the poster appeared successful a nationalist spot wherever children were apt to beryllium capable to spot it, the ASA "considered that the advertisement was apt to effect successful superior and wide offence and had been targeted irresponsibly".

Polydor Records, a part of Universal Music Operations Ltd, said that earlier publication, they had checked with bureau Brotherhood Media that the poster was acceptable to tally connected the projected sites. The bureau had provided an assurance that it was, and Polydor had proceeded connected that basis, it said.

The BBC has approached Brotherhood Media for comment.

The ASA ruled that the poster indispensable not look again successful the signifier complained of unless it was suitably targeted. It told Universal Music Operations Ltd to guarantee their adverts did not origin superior oregon wide offence successful future.