It’s okay to poke fun at New Scientist readers, rules Ad Standards body

There’s nothing wrong with poking fun at the readers of New Scientist, Australia’s advertising watchdog has ruled.

The Advertising Standards Board was asked to determine a complaint about a radio ad for a car window tint company.

According to the ASB’s description of the ad for World Mark Motor One:

“A male voice over introduces himself as Reginald and says he is a herpetologist used to read New Scientist and collect Star Trek figurines. His voice then becomes deeper as he says that since having Octane Tint put on his car he rents a penthouse, has a cocktail named after him and dates Swedish triplets.”