It's no secret that sex sells. Unless an ad is too sexy and is banned as a result, as Newbridge Silverware found out this week.

A two-minute video on the Newbridge Silverware website for the eShe jewellery range was deemed too sexy and provocative for Irish audiences.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASAI) said the poses by model Roz Purcell in the advertisement "were overtly sexual in nature" and therefore provocative; and the clothing worn in the ad was predominantly low-cut and revealing.

Detailing one of the scenes in the ad that gave rise to the complaint, the ASAI said: “the model was sitting on a couch wearing a strapless yellow dress and two of the neck pieces. While both her legs were not visible in the scene it was obvious that they were spread apart, as one leg was visible as it was raised into the camera range”.

Newbridge defended the ad, saying it had never intended to objectify women as women were their primary target for the product range.

The company said it had compiled the video in order to show the movement of the jewellery and its wearability, and ultimately to drive sales for the range.

Ruling the ad must not run in its current form again, the ASAI said the video was exploitative of sexuality and in breach of the code of standards.