Strip club promotion ‘suggests sexual harassment’, rules ad watchdog
A Brisbane topless bar and strip club, The Grosvenor Hotel, has had its billboard advertisement banned for “objectifying” and demeaning women.
An advertisement which read “Pizza or Jugs, grab both for just $25” accompanied with an image of two pizzas side by side with strategically placed salami in circles on top, has been labeled as condoning and suggestive of “sexual harassment of women,” a complaint has told the ad watchdog.
The complaint suggests the advertisement condones the grabbing of “jugs” at the bar.
The Grosvenor Hotel claims it “went to lengths” to ensure the ad was not inappropriate and intentionally removed any reference to its topless bar and strip club offering.
“I really do not wish to waste my time on the matter as it is ridiculous, especially when you haven’t even seen the advertisement,” the advertiser responded.
The Advertising Standards Board agreed “jugs” is also a colloquial term for breasts and the pizza was intended to appear as breasts.
By introducing breast like pizza, The Grosvenor Hotel did “introduce a level of sexual appeal”.
“The image and words did amount to a depiction that was clearly appearing to purposefully debase a group of persons, for the enjoyment of others, and lowering in character or quality a person or group of people,” the Board said upholding the complaint.
The Grosvenor Hotel said the billboard was removed as a result of a “scheduled advertising changeover”.
“The removal of the image was at the direction of Queensland Rail due to complaints having been received direct to our Customer Feedback Team and also direct to our CEO,” The hotel said.
Abigail Dawson was Mumbrella's senior content journalist covering event content. She left Mumbrella to move into an agency role in 2020.
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