Nun-Priest Snog Gets Ice Cream Ad Banned

An ice-cream ad showing a priest and a nun apparently about to lock lips has been banned in the UK after readers complained, the Daily Telegraph reports. People told an advertising-standards group that the magazine image, promoting Antonio Federici gelato, demeaned those who pursued a “religious vocation.” The standards group agreed that the ad might offend.

The ad, intended to sell “forbidden Italian temptations,” was meant as a “light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek portrayal,” the company said in its defense. But, the UK Advertising Standards Authority countered, “We considered that the portrayal of the priest and nun in a sexualized manner—and the implication that they were considering whether or not to give in to temptation—was likely to cause serious offense to some readers.” (More advertisements stories.)