News Ltd, Fosters, KFC, NRMA cleared of complaints focused on animal sexism, ageism and animal cruelty
“Perving” at women in Pilates class, cat-swinging, and a News Limited poster alluding to a handbag as a former cow named Debbie have been cleared by the Advertising Standards Board after a series of complaints from the public.
KFC’s ‘Say it with Chicken’ campaign generated another complaint over the the ad developed by Ogilvy featuring a man giving a mate a chicken fillet bacon cheeseburger to express his “eternal gratitude” for introducing him to Pilates class, as they look on at a group of lycra-clad women as they bend forward in front of them.
A previous ad in the ‘Say it with Chicken’ campaign was cleared of accusations of being “misogynistic”.
Among the complaints:
“The ad was sexist and blatantly offensive. The women were presenting their v*ginas and an*s to the men like dogs. It dehumanises women and turns them into mere sex objects for the ogling of men. It is a disgusting indictment of humanity and equates men with rabid animals that exist only to consumes women. Disgraceful. While it’s meant to be funny, I feel like this sort of ad perpetuates the view that men are free to perv on women’s bodies in public places i.e. if women are wearing tight clothing and exercising in public, then men are free to ogle them and even congratulate each other for doing so.”
But KFC owner Yum Restaurants said the ad used “light hearted, tongue-in-cheek entertainment and humour; not dissimilar to other male orientated marketing campaigns”.
Yum Restaurants webt on to say:
“Contrary to the complainants views, the advertisement does not portray people or depict material in a way which discriminates against females and treats any concepts of sex, sexuality and nudity contained in the advertisement with sensitivity to the intended audience.”
Compassion for animals sparked another string of complaints relating to ads played on the radio. An advertisement for home extensions by Addbuild Master Builders Pty Ltd featured the sound of a cat being swung and hitting a wall, and asked listeners if they had enough room to swing a cat.
Complaints included: “I feel sick to the stomach that a person\s can make humour of inflicting pain to a helpless animal and this is not acceptable behaviour to promote in any form, in fact, I find it revolting!”
Dismissing the complaints the ASB said the sound was unrealistic and the expression part of common Australian vernacular.
An outdoor poster ad run by News Limited for the Telegraph’s Sunday Style magazine featuring the image of a handbag with the words, “Debbie here, used to be a real cow” also offended animal lovers.
Complaints included:
“I feel the ad is offensive on two levels – referring to a female as being a real cow inference being that she’s not a nice person and that a real live cow is better off being killed and made into a handbag. I’m sure “Debbie” as referred to in the ad would much prefer to be a happy living cow rather than slaughtered and skinned to make a handbag. I think the advertiser needs to be a little more sensitive to the audience reading their advertisement.
“While some many think it’s funny others do not. I asked a few people at work how they felt about the ad and a number of others felt it was offensive too. I feel the ad is disrespectful to the animal in question that was killed. I have no qualms with eating meat (I don’t wear or use leather often) but I do feel respect is in order for the animal that has been slaughtered for my meal and/or use. I feel the advertisement is also offensive to animal rights activists.”
News Ltd argued the ad “does not adopt or endorse the use of the term cow as a reference to human women” and “plays on the fact that leather handbags are manufactured from bovine animals, and the common anthropomorphic practice of naming”.
Clearing the ad, the ASB said:
“The Board noted that it is not uncommon for women to be referred to as cows in a manner which suggests they are not being nice people, however the Board considered that in this instance the overall tone of the advertisement is light hearted and the most likely interpretation is that the handbag was once a cow.
“The Board considered that the advertisement is not condoning or encouraging cruelty to animals but is stating a fact that a handbag can be made from a cow‟s hide. The Board considered that the advertisement did not present or portray violence.”
A TV ad for NRMA car insurance that featured Brisbane Broncos player Shane Webcke and various people who he allows to drive him around in his car, including an elderly lady, drew complaints for being ageist.
Among the complaints: “Older persons already get blamed for being real dills on the road, and because it’s in an advert… Oh my god it must be true. Portraying this section of the population in this manner is shameful.”
But the ASB determined that all of the scenes were humorous and this one is “not a portrayal of the lady as being incompetent”.
The ASB also dismissed complaints that the Fosters Australia television ad for Great Northern Brewing Co promoted unsafe and irresponsible consumption of alcohol. In the ad three men stop their 4WD in the bush to drink beers before camping, and the advertisers argued the men were enjoying beers in an appropriate location, at the end of the day.
The ASB determined the ad did not depict material contrary to prevailing community standards on health and safety.
Megan Reynolds
I love the old lady in the NRMA Insurance TV ad, she can be my grandma!
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Obviously you have to be a bit nutty to write one of these complaints, but I’m still mystified about what anyone – anyone! – could find objectionable about the beer ad.
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Just because the KFC ad is “not dissimilar to other male orientated marketing campaigns” doesn’t mean it’s not sexist. Speaks volumes about the industry that “everyone’s doing it” is an acceptable defence in the eyes of the ASB.
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Regarding the first complaint, clearly I don’t have the right sort of dogs!
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FFS, the KFC ad is sexist but the ad for tampons where women are perving on men is ok, double standards much?
The handbag ad from the complainant “I have no qualms with eating meat (I don’t wear or use leather often)…..” you hypocritical cow.
Are people’s lives really that empty and meaningless that the only thing that gives them satisfaction is looking too deeply into ads to find things to complain about?
For god’s sake people find a hobby, read to the blind, mow and old lady’s front lawn, anything.
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Well said ‘no-one important’!
You women and your double-standards. It happens to men day in, day out, but instead of spending our lives whinging and complaining about it, we do more productive activites like…living.
Your probably the same women that compain about diet shakes and weight-loss pills not working…
What’s next on your sh*tlist!? Banning fat from food becuase it makes you…fat.
Get a life and stop hiding behind your computer screen…there’s a whole real word out there!
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@no-one important – is your life so empty and meaningless that the only thing that gives you satisfaction is looking too deeply into people’s complaints about ads to find things to complain about?
#irony
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Debbie used to be a real cow, right now she is only a bag, but soon she will be an old bag.
Political correctness is a curse, I say “get above it as soon as you are able.”
When are these people going to drag themselves up beyond the anal or the primary school level. I have often wondered over the years, why it is so deeply offensive to call a person a C***, but only mildly upsetting or even funny to call someone a Prick or a Dick.
A man may be called a dog, but it is offensive to call a woman a bitch, it’s OK, even a compliment, to call a man a bull, but don’t dare to call a woman a cow; of course “silly mare” seems to be OK and “blonde” seems to have made its way into the vernacular as synonymous with a stupid woman.
Men can be stupid, anyone can be blonde, but can a woman really be stupid? an elderly person be indecisive, a young person be over eager or gauche? Apparently they can, but only if nobody else finds the depiction offensive. Do me a favour.
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You know “chicken” is a word for underage homosexuals.
I wonder if the advertising people at KFC were aware of that….
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