The ASA received two complaints in relation to a TV advertisement for International Footwear Ltd (t/a Strive Footwear), in which a male podiatrist promoted the benefits of the brand’s “innovative footwear” to assist with arch pain in feet. A female character also featured in the advertisement and drew attention to other benefits of the shoes including their appearance. The complainants believed that the advertisement disseminated gender stereotypes and was not compliant with requirements set out in the BCAP Code in respect of causing harm and offence because the male figure in the advertisement took on an authoritative and educated role while the female figure was had a more simplistic and superficial perspective of the footwear in question. The ASA disagreed that the advertisement assigned particular stereotypes to the male and female characters in the advertisement due to gender and did not uphold the complaints.
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