ASB dismisses suggestion Presto dancing dad ad ‘perverted’
The Ad Standards Board (ASB) has dismissed complaints against an ad for Foxtel’s Presto service which the complainant suggested was perverted.
Created by BWM Group, the ad for Presto features a dancing dad who is better off watching a movie then embarrassing his daughter in front of her friends.
The complaint to the ASB read: “When the father is dancing in front of his daughter and her friend his dancing is sexually suggestive and the children are obviously depicted to be in their young teen years. His manner of dancing in front of the children is offensive in its nature and the scene gives rise to a sense of paedophilia. For an adult male to dance in that way directly in front of (not just in the general view) of two young girls can only be labelled as perverted and almost criminally sexually suggestive.”
Foxtel defended the spot, telling the ad watchdog the purpose of the ad “is to humorously promote Presto as the entertainment option that will keep adults entertained so as to avoid embarrassing their children” and was designed to relate to people aged 13 and over.
They added: “Some of the movements performed by the dad, especially the “twerking”, involve thrusting hip movements, a low squatting stance and pulsating arm movements. Foxtel submits that, while these movements are mildly provocative, they are common dance movements that are appropriate to be viewed by the relevant audience. Accordingly, Foxtel submits that the depictions do not breach section 2.4 of the Code as the Advertisement treats sex and sexuality with sensitivity to the relevant audience.”
While the board noted that the dance movements performed by the dad “could be considered mildly provocative”, it ruled that in the context of the scenario “the dad performs the moves for the purpose of embarrassing his daughter and it does not depict him being sexually inappropriate or sexually suggestive”.
The board “considered that the advertisement was not sexually suggestive and that most members of the community would find the advertisement humorous and would relate to the idea of having teenage children that can be easily embarrassed by the actions of their parents”, ruling that it did treat the issue of sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant audience consequently dismissing the complaint.
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The complainant clearly has a very disturbed mind, and indicates that they should be watched, if not withheld for questioning. Weirdos!
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I love these compaints, in that it makes me feel more normal than the people complaining and provides affirmation that I actually ‘have a life’
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Who ARE these people?
The Australian Christian Lobby? Or Bob Santamaria’s National Civic Council and its pious Catholic front the Australian Family Association? The wording of some of these complaints sounds like classic NCC/Santamaria moralising…from 40 years ago.
Isn’t there a law or something?
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Hugh, mate, the complaint makes no mention of any religion, race or creed… keep your blatant anti-christian hatred to yourself!
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…or BWM’s PR department in a last ditch attempt to cook up some fake controversy in the hope that anyone will actually notice such mediocrity.
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