A television ad for Yves Saint Laurent’s latest fragrance Belle d’Opium has been banned by the British Advertising Standards Agency because it allegedly promotes heroin abuse.
The gorgeous full-lipped French actress Mélanie Thierry stars in the commercial, directed by filmmaker provocateur Romain Gavras, in which she performs choreography straight out of a So You Think You Can Dance contemporary dance routine. Take a look:
The ASA released a statement to explain the ban: “We were concerned that in the context of the ad, Belle running her finger down her inner arm could be seen to simulate the injection of opiates into the body. We were also concerned that following that scene, Belle was shown moving in a series of short, rapid scenes, before the ad concluded with her body seizing upwards while lying on the floor, an action we considered could be seen to simulate the effect of drugs on the body.”
This is obviously the offending gesture they refer to:
Frankly it’s kinda disturbing the ASA didn’t illustrate the other offensive or suggestive acts that are simulated in the ad.
For example, here she bows down with a beam of light streaming through the window giving the appearance of a halo, implying she is some sort of prophetic Catholic figure.
Then in this shot she’s clearly engaging in a satanic ritual or witchcraft practice of some sort, evidenced by the strange circle dancing.
This curved door in the background is obviously a phallus.
And her hand gesture here is blatantly sexual:
The perfume is probably made from boiled babies. Thank god that ad got banned.
