Channel 4 has come under fire and accused of using the general public for a ‘tone deaf’ bus advertisement for the new season of the controversial dating show Naked Attraction.
Adverts have been spotted on double-decker buses in London where arrows are used to point at individual seats on the upper deck. The arrows are accompanied by three statements: ‘Loves Naked Attraction,’ ‘Hates Naked Attraction’ and ‘Loves being naked.’
The advert was brought to the wider public’s attention after journalist Tracy King shared a photo of a bus sporting the advert adding: “What the hell is this creepy bus ad? You can’t just label non-consenting passengers like that. Does @Channel4 not know how many sexual assaults take place on buses?”
What the hell is this creepy bus ad? You can’t just label non-consenting passengers like that. Does @Channel4 not know how many sexual assaults take place on buses? pic.twitter.com/SQQoYUmFqv
— Tracy King (@tkingdot) August 30, 2021
If you do go down that route(master), you absolutely should not under any circumstance make the joke a sexualised one. I don’t know why that isn’t @tfl and @global policy already but it should be. Passengers can’t consent to this stuff.
— Tracy King (@tkingdot) August 30, 2021
While some thought the advert was amusing, many agreed with what King had to say with some echoing her words about the number of women who have been victims of sexual assault on public transport. Others pointed out that children often like to sit on the seats at the front of the upper deck of buses.
@Channel4News @StagecoachSE this is really inappropriate, especially given the volume of assaults & sexual harrassments on buses. Did you run it by anyone who actually uses buses, particularly women?
— Laura Jackson🇪🇺🏳️🌈💜🏳️⚧️💚 (@laura_jackson79) August 30, 2021
@StagecoachSE you also have this awful ad on your buses. You need to rethink whether this is appropriate. It is NOT. Sexual assaults happen on buses.
— Margaret Dean (@dean_margaret2) August 30, 2021
I am so glad someone said this! I thought it was just me - I saw it on a @FirstinGlasgow bus in town. Completely creeped me out and instantly made me consider how uncomfortable I would be to sit there - and that small children love that seat on a double decker. Yuck.
— Carla Suciu 🐌 (@carladoesscicom) August 30, 2021
I saw one in Reading the other day, with a young girl in the naked seat … it really bothered me, I couldn’t stop thinking how crass and embarrassing and shit it was.
— Mishka Nady (@Mishka_Nady) August 30, 2021
Seriously @TfL ? How can you get this so wrong??? @Channel4 https://t.co/DzJsmx1ZAQ
— Susan Hall AM (@Councillorsuzie) August 30, 2021
Right at the front at the top of the bus is where my two young kids race to sit, every single time. Like every other child. https://t.co/yh5LYSFUxj
— Victoria Richards (@nakedvix) August 30, 2021
In a statement given to Indy100, a spokesperson from Travel For London said: “We work tirelessly to ensure public transport is a safe environment for everyone and any report of sexual assault or inappropriate behaviour is investigated and treated extremely seriously.
“Following recent public feedback, we are urgently reassessing whether these adverts should continue to run on our bus network.”
A spokesperson for Channel 4 also told indy100: “This ad is based on a Channel 4 entertainment programme. It was not our intention to cause offence and we apologise if it has done so.”
