Russian Court Dismisses Lawsuit of Offended Reebok Ad Viewer

A Moscow court has ruled that a feminist Reebok ad urging readers to “sit on a man’s face” did not insult a male plaintiff’s feelings, Russian media reported on Tuesday.

PR expert Oleg Voronin sought 200,000 rubles ($3,100) in moral damages from Reebok’s parent company Adidas last month over the racy ad. Following public outcry, Reebok pulled one of the slogans from its #OutofControl campaign – styled after its global version #BeMoreHuman – that translated as “switch seats from a man’s approval to a man’s face.”

“The court rules to reject the claim,” the state-run RIA Novosti news agency quoted district judge Irina Sherova as saying.

The plaintiff’s representative had alleged in court that the provocative slogan “encroaches on men’s rights,” the news agency reported.

Last month, RBC news website columnist Yulia Vakhonina defended the phrase, saying it encouraged women to “stop trying to be desirable to men” and start “prioritizing your well-being.”