Deja Vu? Belle D’Opium Fragrance Ad Banned “Promotes Drug Addiction”

Déjà vu for the brand?

 An Yves Saint-Laurent's Belle d'Opium perfume ad has been banned because the woman briefly points to her arm. Sources say that thirteen complaints were filed with Britain's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) claiming the ad somehow encourages drug use.

Could the fact that the voiceover whispers seductively, "I am your addiction. I am Belle D'Opium," have something to do with the complaints?

Explaining the decision, the ASA said, "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."

The original Opium fragrance by Yves Saint-Laurent debuted in 1977, when the name and the image provoked drama and controversy.

  

 Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose…

Michelyn Camen, Editor-In-Chief

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5 comments

  • People are silly.  If anything, the commercial should be banned because it looks like that awful film that Tyra Banks made during the last 'cycle' of Top Model.

  • I don't think the simulated injection in the midst of her general writhing added anything to the dance or the commercial.  It was superfluous.  Is it obvious what she's mimicking? yeah, I think it is. Is seeing this going to make children grow up and do drugs? Probably not…there's plenty of regular televising that is more likely to do that.   

  • I said it over on BN too – banning the ad is better publicity than ignoring it. I already had someone ask for the "new opium with the banned advert".

  • frankie croft smales says:

    I fondly of seeing this advert staunchly via YouTube
    many years ago it was an time where perfume adverts
    got far too risqué for the time that they were allocated
    this became controversial due to the dramatized actions
    by the actress displayed in the advert over lambasted
    music beats by dancing and slithering around on the
    floor in an white dress but it didn’t shock me but
    entertained me even kids watches the big bang theory
    that it’s filled with alcoholic and drug references but if it
    was allocated after 9pm this wouldn’t raise much attention.