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Wicked Campers reprimanded by ASB for ‘chicken and egg sex van’

The Advertising watchdog has again reprimanded camper van company Wicked, this time for a van featuring a chicken and an egg appearing to have sex supported by the line “Who came first?”

wicked chicken and eggIn the latest ruling against the serial offender, the ASB noted that the company, which rents graffiti-covered vans to backpackers, did not even respond to ASB requests to justify the art on the van.

Complaints to the Advertising Standards Board said that the image, featuring an egg holding on to the back of a chicken as though both were engaging in a sexual act, had forced parents to answer questions from children who wanted to know what the chicken and egg were doing.

“My children started reading it and asking what it meant. I felt offended by seeing that image in front of my children and I was personally offended as well. It really stood out and was in my face,” one complaint to the ASB said.

While the complaint was upheld, the board came down with a split decision with some members saying the image was open to interpretation.

“A minority of the Board noted the text, “who came first” and considered that this phrase is a common reference to the question, “who came first, the chicken or the egg?” and is not of itself a reference to sexual activity,” the ASB ruling said.

“A majority of the Board, however, considered that the positioning of the egg pressed against the back of the chicken is suggestive of sexual intercourse when used in conjunction with the phrase “who came first?” and considered that while children may not understand this phrase, in the Board’s view, adults would.

“The majority of the Board considered that the advertisement would lead to questions by children and considered that many adult members of the community would find the advertisement sexualised and offensive and not appropriate for a broad audience which would include children.”

Wicked refused to respond to ASB requests to explain the images, which come under the heading of ‘outdoor advertising’.

It also did not respond to the final determination.

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