AMI TV spot vilifies men experiencing problems in bed rules ad watchdog
A TV ad for the Advanced Medical Institute has fallen foul of the ad watchdog for ridiculing men with sexual performance issues, with the Ad Standards Board ruling it is “demeaning towards a section of the community who are experiencing or have experienced premature ejaculation or trouble sustaining an erection”.
The complained about ad features different women announcing to their partners whilst in bed they are not happy with their premature ejaculation problems, before getting out of bed to go out on their balconies and shouting they cannot take it any more. A man then responds with a megaphone to tell the unhappy women to check out AMI’s treatment options for PE.
Complaints submitted to the ASB suggested the ad was “sexist, derogatory, emasculating”.
“Premature ejaculation is an emotionally and psychologically sensitive matter and the degradation of the male partners in this ad projects the message that it is ok to yell, scream and demand “better performance” and projects a complete disregard and dismissal of a man’s psychological and emotional wellbeing. It is – in short – disgusting behaviour and clearly that is, indeed, not the answer to the problem they are referring to,” one complaint read.
Another complainant suggested it was inappropriate material for television, arguing children should not have to think about such issues, arguing there are not ads for things like AIDS, genital warts or homosexuality “because it is not appropriate to fill the heads of children from the ages of birth to 16 years old with that”.
The Advanced Medical Institute defended the ad, saying it did “not use discriminatory language of any kind” and did not “seek to be critical of persons in any way”.
“This particular advertisement uses the phrases “PE” and “lasting longer”. The advertisement does not use the term “sex” and does not contain any nudity. AMI believes that the phrases used in this advertisement are some of the least confronting used by AMI in its advertisements. They are also significantly less confronting than phrases used in advertisements which have been found by the board to be in compliance with the code (eg the phrase “do it like an animal”).”
In its ruling, the board noted that there was a woman’s voice broadcast at the end of the ad which said in a tone of disapproval “is that it” by implication referring to whether or not a man reaches sexual climax before his partner, which the board considered was “potentially demeaning” towards a section of the community who had experienced issues with premature ejaculation.
It was the board’s view that that the ad “did single out an identifiable section of the community – men experiencing premature ejaculation or having trouble sustaining an erection” and in relation to this section of the community, the tone and text of the ad were suggestive of intolerance towards these men.
The board upheld the complaint, ruling the current ad was “potentially denigrating and demeaning towards a section of the community who are experiencing or have experienced premature ejaculation or trouble sustaining an erection and potentially go beyond light humour to suggesting ridicule or contempt for this group of men”.
AMI are currently in the process of replacing the ad.
Miranda Ward
Miranda Ward worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2017, eventually becoming deputy editor. Miranda joined Mumbrella in September 2013 from Sky News.
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Some people just need to harden up.
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Interesting – October 30 and the ad is still airing on TV. A bit slow on replacement.
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