UK News Electronic Telegraph
Friday 12 September 1997
Issue 840
Strip show brings new diversion for drivers
By A J McIlroy

POSTERS that show a supermodel slowly stripping off her dress to reveal only a pair of tights are to appear on roadside billboards. The posters are the work of Trevor Beattie, the advertising agent who invented the Eva Herzigova "Hello Boys" advertisements for Wonderbra that drivers complained were distracting. Motoring organisations say the latest campaign, featuring Spanish model Miriam Fernandez, could pose a serious risk of accidents. The new posters, for Pretty Polly "black magic" tights, will be launched next week in London before appearing at 4,000 sites nationwide. Huge mechanical billboards will show the model's black dress slipping off every 11 seconds. The concept is based on the once-fashionable pens that bore the figure of a woman on the side which allowed the dress to slide off when turned upside down. When the dress falls away, Ms Fernandez appears topless with her arm across - though barely covering - her bust. A spokesman for the AA said: "The idea is to grab attention, so the poster is obviously going to be a distraction. That is always a risk among motorists who are not disciplined enough to keep their eyes on the road, which is the idea of driving after all. We will be monitoring the situation." The poster is part of a £3 million initiative to "spice up" Pretty Polly's image. Mr Beattie, who was told to "do a Wonderbra", admitted that his latest idea was "traffic stopping". He said: "This has the same appeal. It's big, bold, brand-leader stuff and not advertising that skulks in the shadows."