A real estate agent checking out a woman’s bottom is not degrading, rules ad watchdog
Complaints made against an ad for Rossdale Homes have been thrown out by the Advertising Standards Bureau for degrading women.
One complaint read: “The man showing the couple around continually objectifies the woman by ‘checking her out’. He starts by looking at her bum at the beginning. It has nothing to do with the advert or product. It is just offensive.”
Some members of the Ad Standards Bureau board felt that the behaviour of the estate agent amounted to sexual harassment, and that the lack of action by the husband made his behaviour worse.
How is that degrading, its an upgrade on most bums about, I was checking it out too. Probably more degrading to real Estate agents branding them as letchy. But no one likes them anyway so who would complain about that?
There’s only one mob I can think of that uses the word “objectify” with such whimsy…
Yeah, if anything this paints real estate agents in poor light – which is actually the point of the ad I believe.
Great decision by the Ads Standards Bureau; kudos.
If it was a woman checking out a man, then it wouldnt be an issue. i hate when ads obejectify men
More of a dumb ad.
The overall impression I got from seeing this today for the first time was that Rossdale Homes and their staff perform in an inappropriate and unexpected way, not that are different and better in performance than other project home builders.
I accept totally that they are a proper and respectable company which does not use the practices they have shown in their ad.
But the impression given by the repetition of their name following some visual dubious practice was not what the words spoken tried to say “this dubious practice is what others do, not Rossdale”.
The visual imagery was so strong that the words were less powerful so the combined words and visuals tended to convey the linkages of “not an appropriate practice and Rossdale”.
This then makes the ad ineffective rather than offensive.
Hence, can see why the complaint was not accepted.
Bad taste,that’s all i can say
Seems the people who complained didn’t get the point of the ad…deceptive and creepy behaviour by the RE agent/other builders as opposed to the honesty and integrity that Rossdale Homes are trying to say how they will deal with you.
…and why am I being auto spell checked on an Australian website for spelling, “behaviour” as “behaviour”?
Hi Ian,
As we all too regularly demonstrate, we don’t provide spell check on comments. I suspect it may be within your browser.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella