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Ad watchdog rules on offending Fresh One coffee Facebook posts following campaign by Collective Shout urging people to complain

The Ad Standards Board has been split on complaints over a number of meme-style Facebook images that were used to promote coffee brand Fresh One, with activist group Collective Shout describing photos, including one that featured a “wet pussy” and a “cock”, as “sexist and porn-inspired advertising material”.

Fresh One

Fresh One’s “Wet pussy” and “cock” Facebook ad. Click to enlarge.

In response to the complaints, Fresh One suggested the complaints had come from The Collective Shout, an organisation which describes itself as a grassroots campaigning movement against the objectification of women in media, advertising and popular culture.

“From our investigations and further assumptions these seem mostly to be from a group known as Collective Shout and some of their derivative supporters although I can see from most of the official complaints to the ASB that anonymity has been requested,” Fresh One said.

“There seems to be so many more portals that offer expletive based commentary and naked sexual imagery well beyond the gregarious nature of Fresh’s One’s page. This would then indicate that the level of negative attention to the page and number of complaints received by the ASB would be the result of a focused attack on Fresh One.”

Collective Shout is actively campaigning against the ads, urging people to contact Fresh One directly and to submit a complaint to the Ad Standards Board.

Collective Shout’s Melinda Liszewski said: “We often hear from people when they come across sexualised or porn inspired advertising. From there we can advise on where a complaint should be submitted (such as through the Ad Standards Board) and engage our broader networks. In the case of Fresh One, the level of sexual objectification was so obvious and extreme, many people followed through with submitting complaints and feedback. Companies using pornographic themes – in this case depicting oral sex and naked women with their legs spread – should not be surprised when they get a reaction.”

Complaints to the ASB read: “The advertisements are patronizing, offensive and dehumanizing to women! They objectify women and are incredibly sexist and pornographic.

“They are treating women as objects, dehumanising them. Is it really any wonder that SOME men feel a sense of entitlement to women’s bodies when companies like this one use women in this way. Self-regulation is not working!”

In making its rulings, the ASB reviewed each of the 12 complained about posts separately.

In the case of an image featuring a woman with the words ‘ECO friendly’ written across her back who is also pulling down her g-string at the sides which was accompanied by the text “A Freshy will leave you feeling pleasured and guilt free after the grind”, it was the board’s view that the post was sexually suggestive and did not treat sexuality with sensitivity to a relevant audience of “Facebook active adults interested in coffee and coffee beans”.

The board ruled the image below was not appropriate in the context of a coffee advertisement “as it is a depiction which strongly suggests material, specifically drug use, that is contrary to prevailing community standards on health and safety”.Fresh One syringe

While the board did not feel the below image amounted to one that was degrading and exploitative due to the woman not appearing to be taking part against her will, the board ruled that due to the accompanying text “…explode in your mouth…” was not appropriate for a Facebook audience and did not treat the issue of sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant audience.

Fresh One 2

While the below image was used to highlight a message around how coffee drinkers were treated by the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century, the board considered “that the man with his head on the wooden block looks distressed and the hovering executioner with a raised axe presents a sense of menace and violence which is not appropriate in the context of the advertised product regardless of the accompanying text”.

Fresh One 3

The below post, which is accompanied by the text ““What do you get when you mix a cock and a wet pussy? Fresh One.”, was considered to be not appropriate for a Facebook audience who are “expecting to see content related to coffee and coffee beans”. The board also considered some of the members of the relevant audience would consider the language “strong or obscene”.

Fresh One

Of the below image, the board considered that the use of a woman’s naked torso is “objectifying and does amount to use of sexual appeal that is both exploitative and degrading to women”.

Fresh One 4

The complaints on the above six images were upheld and the ASB will liaise with Facebook on the matter.

A further six images (below) were examined, with the ASB dismissing complaints against them.

Fresh One Americano
Fresh One elevator

Fresh One shower

Fresh One dominate

Fresh One milk

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