Lingerie brand's sexed-up Santa ad enrages parents - can you see why?

Basically, lingerie brand Honey Birdette have pushed the sleigh out a bit with their latest ad campaign.

In the imagery and the video, Honey Birdette says: “We’ve given Santa the night off… sorry kids!” Suddenly, a bunch of models in lingerie are all over Santa, sitting on his lap, straddling him and, erm, thrusting.

He certainly doesn’t look unhappy about it, either ?

(Wait, isn’t Santa married to the similarly grey-haired Mrs Claus? ???)

The bit that’s really set people off, though, is the fact that a cut-out of the ad, the image you see above, has been plastered all over Honey Birdette’s shop front in Melbourne’s Westfield shopping centre.

Parents have argued that any child could walk past it – especially since it’s allegedly not far from a Santa-themed photobooth for kids ???

So, perhaps it’ll come as no shock to learn that over 56,000 people have petitioned for the images to be removed from plain sight.

The petition was started by a dad named Kenneth Thor, who had to field some awkward questions from his 4 and 6 year olds when he was trying to get them past the ad quickly during a shopping trip.

And Cathy Trew, from Melbourne, has slammed Westfield on Facebook, saying:

“Exposing children to adult sexual ‘humour'’ involving Santa is a careless encroachment on childhood innocence and joy, and confusing.

“Seeing Santa with almost nude women in a sexual/intimate context is too complex for them to process and not the type of '’adult'’ concept any parent should have to try and explain to a child or toddler.”

???

AdNews Australia also noted that the video has received another layer of criticism: all of the women at the ‘party’ are in their undies, but Santa’s joined by a few businessmen, fully-dressed in suits.

They’ve reported that the brand’s founder, Eloise Monaghan, called all of the criticism “ridiculous” and is said to have written:

“There’s a disturbing conservative theme out there, but we will keep doing what we do!”

What do you think?

Too far, or all cool in your eyes? Perhaps you don't care about the ad - as long as it's visible to little ones? We're dying to know what you think - come and tell us on Facebook

Images: Instagram/Honey Birdette

Read more:

• Could a woman do Santa's job? These kids reckon not
• When do children stop believing in Santa?
• The app that gets Santa to tell your kids off directly