Sports Illustrated swimsuit models Hannah Davis, Chrissy Teigen, and Nina Agdal star in a new DirecTV ad campaign that is generating just as much backlash as the SI cover.
In the new ads, brought to you by agency Grey New York, models who have DirecTV appear as their bikini-clad selves in typical SI poses against the usual beachy backdrop.
Model Hannah Davis, below, appears next to the text "I'm Hannah Davis and I have DirecTV."
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Anyone else find the new @DIRECTV ads unbelievably offensive? http://t.co/bjk8lSZytj @corrinacorrina @cam_jarvis
- Harriet Kingaby (@HKingaby) February 11, 2015
@chrissyteigen @DIRECTV Really? We find Directv has a load of ethical issues.
- Jabs (@JabsJewels) February 7, 2015
discussing the latest @DIRECTV ad in my IMC class. ALL students agree- it's super sexist @3PercentConf #3PercentConf #StudentScholar
- Anna (@shmanna_) February 11, 2015
WTF Is Going On In These DirecTV Ads Starring Swimsuit Models? http://t.co/2w3yUVAsxb
- Jennifer Vernon (@jenniferjvernon) February 11, 2015
"The problem with these ads is that they have nothing to do with DirecTV, they are guilting us," said Stephen Galloway, editor at The Hollywood Reporter.
DirecTV is standing by their ads, telling ABC News: "The ads were specifically created to run in the 2015 Sport's Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and were meant to work within the context of the editorial of the magazine, which is beautiful women in swimsuits. The intention of the ads was to show a fun, tongue-in-cheek example of how DIRECTV is superior to cable."
Teigen, too, is standing by her involvement with the campaign.
"We had fun. We had a good time. We didn't mean to be demeaning or degrading or hurt anybody's feelings," Teigen said. "It is a funny ad; it's supposed to be funny, take it for what it is."
In response to the recent backlash, the model posted the below to her Instagram account with the caption: "I'm Chrissy Teigen and I really do have @direcTV thank effing god."
Rob Lowe previously starred in similar DirectTV commericals, featuring both gorgeous and gross images of the actor.
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