The cover for Demi Lovato's latest album caused an uproar in Britain.
An advert for Demi Lovato's 'Holy Fvck' album has been banned in the UK because it was likely to 'seriously offend Christians'.
The album cover, in which Demi Lovato wears a BDSM outfit while lying on a mattress in the shape of a cross, breached the UK Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA) code for "associating sexuality with the sacred symbol of the cross and crucifixion".
According to Sky News, the ASA received four complaints, which said the posters could be seen by children in the places where they were posted.
The ASA explained that the fact that Demi Lovato "is bound in a BDSM outfit while lying on a mattress in the shape of a cross, in a position with her legs tied in a place reminiscent of Christ on the cross, along with the reference to "Holy Fvck", which in this context was likely to be seen as linking sexuality with the sacred symbol of the cross and crucifixion, was likely to be a serious offense to Christians."
"Therefore, we concluded that the ad breached the Code," the regulator noted.
The posters were put up in six locations in London last summer, and Polydor Records, part of Universal Music Group, argued that Demi Lovato's album cover was not offensive.
Polydor Records added that it had checked with its advertising agency that the poster was eligible to be released in the proposed locations and received a positive response, to proceed on that basis.
The posters were up for four days and were removed on August 23, 2022.
The ASA also said: "We have told Universal Music Operations to ensure that its ads do not cause serious or widespread offense in the future."
Demi Lovato's 'Holy Fvck' album, due out in August 2022, chronicles her life's complicated journey through alcohol and drug addiction, mental health issues, treatment efforts and recovery.
Demi Lovato began writing the album after a voluntary stay in rehab in December 2021 and told the BBC: “I don't play pop music anymore. It's a rock album."
