Brazil urges ban on Gisele Bundchen TV lingerie ad Published duration 29 September 2011

image caption The advertisements for lingerie firm Hope feature Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen

Brazil's ministry for women has called for a TV advertisement featuring supermodel Gisele Bundchen in her underwear to be suspended.

The ministry has asked the advertising authorities to ban the lingerie ad, which it says "reinforces the erroneous stereotyping of women as sex objects".

In the ad, a scantily-clad Ms Bundchen distracts her husband while telling him bad news, such as damaging the car.

In 2010, the ministry secured the ban of a beer ad featuring Paris Hilton.

The advertisement "ignores the progress made in ending sexist practices. It also represents discrimination against women", the ministry said in a statement.

The TV campaign sends a message "that sensuality can melt any man" and "encourages Brazilian women to use their charms... to minimise the reactions of their husbands", it said.

Lingerie company Hope said in a statement its advert had a "clear and well-defined goal to show, with good humour, that the natural sensuality of Brazilian women, which is known worldwide, can be an effective weapon when giving bad news".

The firm said it had hired Ms Bundchen, one of Brazil's most successful international models, to show it was not about the economic dependence of women.

"It would be absurd if we, who make a living from the preferences of women, took any stance that devalued our customers," it said.