Wicked Campers slammed by Ad Standards for referencing a ‘massive cock’
Infamous rental van company Wicked Campers has been found in breach of Ad Standards rules yet again, this time for referencing a “massive cock” on the side of one of its vans.
The vehicle, which was registered in South Australia, said: “I got a big bick/ you that read wrong/ you read that wrong too… massive cock”.
A Wicked Campers van featuring the phrase Source
This is beyond boring now and how many more times will we have to hear about another van with obscenities being reported and nothing happens.
How are Wicked Campers still in business? I assume there is no legislation that covers their total lack of decency and they can only be dealt with on a van by van basis. Surely someone needs to mount an Anti-Wicked campaign that makes hiring from them truly undesirable
As with betting companies, their target audience doesn’t care. The people that find this offensive are not the ones that would hire a campervan from them. They would LOVE an Anti-Wicked campaign.
They are firmly focused at the budget end of the market – targeting young travellers and backpackers who are firmly focused on price. Not all their vans are painted (in other countries they are not), many are booked from outside Australia, and they will rent to people who are too young to rent from others.
An 18 year old can hire a sleeps-two van for a week for under $250 – – – and I reckon that pretty much answers that.
Thanks for continuing to cover Wicked Campers ongoing breaches and failure to comply with Ad Standards rulings. Collective Shout has a petition calling for uniform legislation to re-register Wicked vans containing sexist and racist slogans. We would value your support! https://www.collectiveshout.org/petition_drive_wicked_campers_off_the_road
My guess is these articles are consistently in the “most read” list on Mumbrella. It’s the easiest copy to pump out, so great ROI, but agree with Jill that it’s a boring story these days. Probably time to just ignore them and they’ll go away eventually. There’s a decent case to be made that all the attention and bans has led them to use increasingly vile imagery – all the hoopla is great publicity
Surely this is now their communications strategy: Offend, get slapped & get loads of free editorial for your business…….
Simply brilliant! – NOT
I find the advertising boring and low brow, but then it is not aimed at me, neither is it aimed at very many others.
Obscene? well, not really. It is simply slightly mindless, and intended for those who find such puns humorous.
What about the clothing company FCUK? The name is clearly manipulated to invoke the word FUCK. What about the very fine porcelain dish makers who operate under the name Big Duck N Fish Company?
Cock, is used to indicate the penis only as a slang word, it is officially meant to indicate the illustrious chanticleer, a spigot or similar liquid control valve, the upending of an object, or the male sex of any bird species.
If we are to take offense at the use of any word which has a multiple meaning, or is similar to an expletive or vulgarity, then words such as Bitch, Duck, Ship, Punt, Grape, Hiss etc would be offensive also.
The word ‘Poppycock’ is an interesting one, I once heard Margaret Thatcher use it in a press release [quote] “They are talking a load of Poppycock” [unquote] Sure, it sounds oddly archaic and quite high brow, but it’s actually Middle Dutch “pappekak” meaning “sloppy shit”. There is much to be offended by, why highlight the vaguely mindless ones.
What about another recent sighting… – “Registered in South Australia, the van in question said: “if you want to toughen up grow a vagina – those things can really take a pounding” on its rear.” I guess “Massive Cock” is the comeback?