Women's group in a tizz over ad

The group has complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) about a television advert featuring model Roxy Louw.

In the commercial, a bikini-clad Louw is lying on a beach eating a sandwich from Kauai. But it wasn't the 22-year-old's itsy bitsy outfit, cowboy hat or cheeky smile that irked Powa, it was the words of the voice-over: "She looks so good because she eats so good."

Powa's Carrie Shelver said the advert made viewers think of a commercial for a chicken brand with a similar pay off line: "They taste so good 'cause they eat so good.

"When they used that line, for us that was very reminiscent of the Farmer Brown adverts and that (Louw) was similar to the chicken in the Farmer Brown advert.

"It was that sort of link that we were worried about ... and the view that women are there to be consumed," Shelver said.

Louw, who has graced the pages of FHM and Sports Illustrated magazines, was amused when the Sunday Times told her about the complaint and how she had been compared to chicken.

"That's stunning," Louw said, while laughing. She added that she definitely did not think it demeaned women in any way.

"It's more about how you live life and how living life healthily looks good. It's more about what you put in your body," she said.

The ASA, which found in favour of Kauai just over a week ago, agreed that the 20-second commercial did not demean women and held that no reasonable person would have found it offensive or in poor taste.

"Certainly no message is communicated that the woman is 'something to be consumed or eaten'," the ruling reads.

The ASA added that the link to the Farmer Brown adverts was at best tongue-in-cheek humour.

Kauai spokesman Mel Miller said they were very happy with both the advert and the ruling.

It was the company's "first foray into television advertising" and had resulted in lots of positive comments and had "produced results at the till".

Louw, too, said she had received the nod for her role in the advert, which she enjoyed shooting.

"I got a lot of compliments on it. I had terrific feedback from everyone."

Miller said the franchise had chosen Louw as a brand ambassador because she was a family girl and role model who "wouldn't indulge in anything spurious or suspect".

"She's a good, clean South African girl and that's the brand association," he said.

For Louw, becoming the face of the brand was a natural choice. "I love their food and it's something I can relate to, along the lines of healthy eating, exercising, leading a healthy lifestyle. It basically describes me."

Louw, who is the daughter of former Springbok rugby player, Rob Louw, said her father's recent skin cancer diagnosis had made her more conscious of eating and living healthily.

Shelver said Powa was disappointed with the ruling, but had not yet decided whether it would appeal the decision.

• hawkeyk@sundaytimes.co.za