An advert for a new ice cream brand featuring a nun and a priest about to kiss is being investigated by the Advertising Standards Authority after a complaint.
The poster, for the upmarket brand Antonio Federici Gelato Italiano, features a glamorous nun in her habit and a priest wearing a cassock in a clinch with the tagline "kiss temptation".
The food magazine Delicious refused to run the advert and a complaint was made to the ASA on the grounds that it was demeaning to people who have chosen a religious vocation.
A spokesman for the ASA said it was investigating. If the commercial is found to be in breach of the advertising code, it could be banned.
The Committee of Advertising Practice rules on religious offence state "… linking sex or sexualised images with religion may cause particular offence; for example, despite the tolerance towards the depiction of men and women of the church, portraying nuns in a sexual manner is inappropriate".
Antonio Federici's creative director, Matt O'Connor, said: "This is a light-hearted portrayal celebrating the implied forbidden Italian temptations which Antonio Federici's Gelato Italiano represents.
"Neither the nun or priest are touching or kissing and we don't accept that this beautiful piece of photography could cause offence to anyone except possibly to a tiny minority who might have an acute sensitivity to such matters."
The ice cream brand launched earlier this month in Sainsbury's stores ahead of a full roll-out in September.
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