Ad watchdog censures Doug Moran National Portrait Prize ‘Pussy Magnet’ photo
A complaint about a photograph featuring a man in ‘pussy magnet’ Speedos has been upheld by the Advertising Standards Board.
‘Australia Votes’, which was featured alongside six other finalist photographs in Sydney to celebrate the 2016 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, showed four Australians on voting day including the man in his swimwear.
The original image, taken by finalist Edwina Pickes
The complaint was sparked when the image, cropped to feature just the man in his swimmers, was displayed in a window at Moran House in Sydney’s CBD.
A complainant said: “There is a 6 ft photo of a man with the words “pussy magnet” on his swimmers. I think it is funny. However I was walking my 2 daughters aged 8 and 10 past on the weekend and they stopped and asked “what does pussy magnet mean Dad.
“It was way too uncomfortable to explain and I am concerned it is not right to expose young kids, especially young girls to this large sexualised image in public places. It is offensive and not appropriate in this location.”
The Moran Arts Foundation said the banners were picked specifically to best represent the competition and contemporary life in Australia.
Responding to the complaint, the Foundation explained it did not discriminate or vilify men or women, nor did it portray violence or sexuality. The Foundation did however concede that in the absence of the context of the whole photograph, the image could be “construed as offensive by some members of the public”.
“The words “Pussy Magnet” as featured in the panel is out of context of the whole photograph,” the Foundation said.
“The tongue-in-cheek, humorous aspect of the photograph is potentially missing as is the situation of it being taken in a surf club which is the reason the man is in his swimming costume. Also in the original image is a little girl unaffected by what’s around her.”
The ASB noted while the advertiser’s image was one of six used to promote the annual Moran competition, the placement of the image in a street-facing window would be visible to both children and adults passing by.
“The Board noted that the use of the word ‘pussy’ in relation to a sexual act is a blatant sexual reference not suitable for a broad audience. The Board considered that this amounts to language which is inappropriate in the circumstances,” they added.
While the Board noted the advertiser’s response and censorship of the words ‘pussy magnet’ it noted its role to consider the original advertisement, with the majority of the Board agreeing the ad used “strong, obscene and inappropriate language”.
It was agreed the offensive language would be covered up in an attempt to rectify the situation.
The Board upheld the complaint and The Moran Arts Foundation has kept the sticker, covering the language in question, in place.
I thought it was an ad for Tony Abbott’s new line of budgie smugglers.
User ID not verified.